Spirit Bound Forever
by guardianrozahathaway
Summary: It's been 2 months since Rose has returned from her return from Russia and time is running out for her to decide what to do. She has to tell her friends soon but with Graduation around the corner will it be soon enough? Read to find out!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys it's Catherine! So this is my own little version of Spirit Bound and my first fanfic ever so I hope you enjoy! :)**

**I will try to at least update once a day. I have four chapters written already and am working on Chapter five so maybe if I get lots of reviews tonight I will put up chapter two!**

**Anyways let me know what you think and remember to review! : D**

**P.S. Sorry about the small chapter, I promise that the others are bigger. :)**

My screams filled the air around me, where was Dimitri?! He promised to always be there for me, to love me forever but now it was obviously not going to come true at least not yet. I awoke to the sound of myself panting, _just a dream_ I thought but even if that was a dream I could not promise that Dimitri was here for me and that he loved me. I knew that he was probably here for me and still loved me in his soul but his soul was destroyed, or at least locked up now inside his cold, cruel strigoi heart.

Today was Friday the 27th of June and it was gladiators day; the day in which us senior novices took our last test in which we would be graded and assigned to which moroi we would guard for the rest of our lives .. which might not be that long, since us dhampirs sometimes had limited lives since we fought strigoi and defended the moroi race in order for our own race to continue. I already had some experience in this field which my own two _molnija marks_ on the back of my neck proved, along with my battle star which showed I had killed to many strigoi to count in battle, yet I had failed at killing that one strigoi that meant something to me, or at least freeing his _soul_ did. I sighed and put my head between my hands, why me? Why Dimitri? This was killing me but I had to contain myself, I had to be focused and keep my control which had been one of Dimitri's most valuable stupid zen lessons which I now realized weren't so stupid. _Control._ Just then I felt some overwhelming emotion, not from me no Lissa but I put up my barriers. She wasn't in trouble, no she was excited. Of course she would be today was the day in which my performance would make me her guardian for my life span, I smiled that was something to look forward to; at least I thought it was but if I was her guardian I would always have to protect her and since I was protecting her how on earth was I supposed to find time for hunting down Robert Doru ... and then Dimitri. I knew only two solutions to that and neither one sounded promising. Option one: I allowed her to come with me like I promised her months before on my new journey or option two I leave her, _again_. Neither sounded great but how could I risk Lissa's safety for my own selfish reasons? I sighed nothing was ever going to go the way I wanted. I started to get ready for my big day, the day that I had looked forward to since I was little although my reasons have changed in the past few months. I would have to figure all this out later – but time was running out. Dimitri's promise ran through my mind again:

_Roza,_

_You forgot another lesson: Never turn your back until you know your enemy is dead. Looks like we'll have to go over the lesson again the next time I see you – which will be soon._

_Love D._

_

* * *

_

I ran down towards the field, the wind blowing my dark hair back behind my face as my name was called by Alberta "Hathaway, Rose!" She barked. The test was quite easy actually – close to our experience that we had done six weeks earlier. There would be fake strigois I was guessing as well as other obstacles that we could come across while protecting our assigned moroi. It wasn't as important as our earlier assignment but still necessary – it was tradition. I could see that Alberta was tense but it couldn't be as bad as how I was feeling, I had always been counting on Dimitri being here today to encourage and help me. Just then I felt a nauseating feeling in my stomach. Most certainly they wouldn't have _real_ strigoi here today. I looked over to my right where the forest was and beyond that the cabin. I looked over to where the nausea was coming from and saw my nightmare there right before my eyes. I stayed tense and pulled out my silver stake; the one that had already been plunged into this strigoi's heart. Obviously it hasn't been plunged in hard enough. He glanced over at me and smiled with no humor behind it. "Alberta," the whistle blew and she whisked me into the field telling me to go on. "ALBERTA!" I roared, she silenced me giving me a disapproving look but really who did I care I had never really cared about saying there respected names before.

"Guardian Petrov," I grimaced there was no time for formalities now.

"There is a strigoi on campus." She was shocked I could tell and I was just as surprised at myself to be able to say that clamly.

"But surely there must be some explanation. No way could a strigoi be on campus – the wards." But she knew it was helpless after all the wards had been broken once before.

"And it happens to be Dimitri."

She was tensed in a moment with her walkie talkie at her ear telling all the guardians on campus to prepare themselves and the students.

"Get all the moroi and younger novices to their dorms, all the senior years can protect them if they want but I need all the guardians over here, NOW!"

I whimpered, my time had run out. There was no saving Dimitri now, maybe if I had of left campus earlier – and broken my promise to my mother and Lissa there would've been saving him but now it was no use. I was just going to have to suck it up and free his soul the old fashioned way and for good this time. I tensed myself getting ready to protect the younger ones here and silence him. I didn't know if I was actually able to do it – mentally I mean, but I had to. It _had _to be me who freed him. I knew in the long run it probably wouldn't matter; after all he would be free but the others would kill him for no other reason than he was a strigoi and had to be destroyed which I agreed with but I had another reason for killing him: I would be killing him out of love, out of a promise.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! I couldn't wait to put it up tomorrow so I am putting it up now. I will put up two chapters every day hopefully although I could only write one tonight! Busy, busy, busy!**

**Anyways let me know what you think and review, review, review! :)  
**

"LISSA!" _LISSA! _I screamed both mentally and physically, I knew that it was a miracle that she would hear either but all I could hope for was that she could hear my mental scream; I knew that she was getting better at her spirit and hearing my thoughts, feelings, and experiences the same way I could feel hers.

_Rose! Rose, what's wrong?!_

I heard her mental voice answer but before I could answer Alberta was giving directions.

"Rose, your mother should be here shortly." She said in hard controlled voice with a firm face covering her real emotions; being a guardian.

"My mother?!" I screeched, last I heard she was in Europe with my father. Their relationship had suddenly taken on the qualities of a real relationship otherwise our relationship was still strained but was improving, after all she wasn't one to really express her emotions unless with my so called father... As for my father we were starting to improve on our relationship as well, we got on pretty well actually seeing as we both had such a good sense of sarcasm. I was actually starting to understand what my mother meant that he was a great man even if he was a little scary at times.

"I informed her of these events as soon as you told me. I knew she would like to be here." Alberta spoke briskly.

I nodded.

" I need to reach Lissa" I stated.

"Be quick Rose we don't have time to waste." I smiled dryly, she was right of course.

_Lissa, listen to me I'm fine but please stay safe in your dorm. Dimitri is on campus and I know that he could use you against me if he had too. _

I heard her mentally whimper but I took that as confirmation that she would be careful, I needed to be 100% on my guard now so I put up my barriers only would I let her get through if she was in absolute danger.

"Hello, my little dhampir."

"Adrian get inside, NOW!" I spat to him totally on my guard, he had surprised me as I had switched from being with Lissa to reality and now I knew that I had to focus. _Control. _ I found it quite funny actually as I thought of that same lesson twice in one day; both for very important reasons but totally different.

"A little mad are we now Rose?"

"Adrian I am not to be messed with now, get inside."

"A bit upset over me missing your last test?" I stiffened, even after he had handed in his 'assignment' I had turned him down. I just wasn't ready to date and even if Adrian was nice and a good guy, he was most definitely not boyfriend material even if my heart has been healed and it was nowhere close to that stage. Although he remained persistent always teasing me with flirtatious remarks and I would just insult him back, it was starting to become a hobby really but I was in no way in the mood for that now.

"No Adrian, a str-"But I was cut short of my sarcastic remark because just then distracted by the smallest movement towards my left and then to my right. I took up a fighting stance immediately.

It was Dimitri, of course. It had been even enough between us _before_ all of his new strigoi talents so now you would think that it would be quite uneven although it wasn't. _Before he turned _we had known each other and our moves as well as we had known our own hand, now I had a few more moves up my sleeve to even out his advantage_._ Abruptly the dance stopped and he walked a few steps towards me brushing my cheek.

"Roza," he said his voice filled with coldness and ugly desire but underneath I could hint a bit of his familiar Russian accent; the accent that I adored so much. I drank it all in, but I knew that this is what had cost me my first time against the new Dimitri so I kept on my fighting stance.

"Why won't you join me?"

"Because I like having my soul," I spat "and I have some business to finish that would be impossible as a strigoi."

"No Roza it would not be _impossible_ as a strigoi, it would probably be even easier." He stated guessing my mission.

"Killing you is not the answer Dimitri."

"Isn't it?" He raised one eyebrow like he had always done. It looked like this part of him hadn't changed.

"No killing you is not the answer. It is a possible solution but not the one that I desire."

"Hm, and then what _is _the answer my dearest Roza?"

"You will never know." I thought about that for a second but it was not entirely true, if I managed to get out of here alive _and _saved him then I would probably tell him the solution, he would probably know, but no not yet. Dimitri took my pondering to his advantage and he reached for Adrian and the dance began again.

In that instant I knew what he was after; he would attempt to kill Adrian in order to get the information he needed out of me, then he would probably kill me too. But I hoped that he wouldn't get that far actually I hoped he wouldn't get far at all.

He started to trip me now as he swept his foot under me bringing me to my knees but I jumped up quickly taking a protective stance in front of Adrian. I lunged out to him and punched him across the face that would've broken _all_ mortals noses and probably some strigoi's noses as well but Dimitri was exceptional even for a strigoi and it didn't appear as if he had even distracted him.

"How did you break the wards?" I hissed, it didn't really matter- it has happened before but I was curious. I didn't think Dimitri the type to be in alliance with humans although he just kept surprising me, mortal or otherwise.

"You give me your desired answer Roza ... for my own information?" He said persuasively but when I shook my head he just shrugged and lunged at me. I had my stake ready for an opening to his chest but it never came. He kept his chest and back always far away from me and I knew that I should feel scared and I was, he really was a badass but I was only relieved at the fact that he was so good and that sentiment made me feel afraid because I most definitely should _not_ feel that towards a strigoi.

I had all but forgotten Adrian's presence behind us but I knew that I had to get him to safety. I flung him onto my back with such speed I scared myself but never paused and ran. Adrian was actually quite feather light well not actually _that _heavy. I suppose Yeva getting me to carry bricks all over the place strengthened me. I would've laughed if I was in any other situation.

Dimitri was soon right beside me and I sped up my pace, but I was no match for him.

"I see you took my first lesson seriously" he smirked beside me.

I just kept running, no way was I going to be able to run at this speed while talking so I kept my teeth gritted tight together.

"It's too bad that you failed to remember one of my other lessons." I didn't need a reminder on which one I was positive that he had already informed me on_ that_ months earlier.

I slowed my pace and I got Adrian off my back. I couldn't win by running and I knew it, I think he knew it as well.

"So you surrender?" He asked in a calm voice that didn't trick me.

"In your dreams." I growled that frightened even myself a little bit. It was actually sort of funny, a few months ago we had been in an even fight together... Now we were against each other again and again he had the advantage even if I was a close match. I thought back to when he had held me prisoner three months before. I wonder if I can win. The thought crossed my mind. No, that's stupid even then he probably could have won if he had tried hard enough and now with all his other advantages he was probably just wearing me down. _Wearing me down._ That was it! He was wearing me down, after all I was mortal I would get tired at one time or another and as soon as this happened he would do what he came for. Whatever that was I knew it involved me. I stopped the dance instantaneously and looked up at him through my long eyelashes.

"Alright I surrender." I told him.

"How do I know you're not lying?" He asked me.

"Because I can't win."

It was simple, maybe not entirely true because I was pretty close to him but in the end...

"No you can't," he said fairly. He probably thought this was true of course. How on earth could dear Roza learn some new tricks on _her own? _I thought sarcastically.

I lowered my eyes.

"Kill me Dimitri just like you promised me a few months back."

"What are you talking about Roza? I didn't come to _kill_ you."

I gasped I thought I had blown my chances months before, not that I minded I would rather die than become strigoi. I still had my guard up though even if it appeared not.

"I came to _tur_-"

My mother was suddenly there –without a stake- I noticed and had Dimitri pinned on the ground. I wonder why she was without a silver stake? That was unlike my mother but before I could really begin to ponder this her voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Now, Rose!" She screamed.

How could this be happening?! I knew that I had already sworn to myself that if he came for me he would have to be killed. Now it was time to prove myself. I jumped onto his chest my silver stake ready, and then I saw his eyes. His beautiful brown warm eyes - now turned to ice and rimmed with red- stared into my own eyes.

"Please Roza," he pleaded.

"I have to do this Dimitri. Can't you see?! You're not yourself anymore." I cried. I couldn't help adding on at the end in my mind but you could be...

My mother stood there watching us, ready to lunge at a seconds notice. Although she was all but forgotten by myself.

"Mom, I'm fine. Get Adrian back to safety."

"Rose, can you do this?"

"I'm fine mom ... just give me a second.

She nodded.

"Okay but do it quick."

I was surprised that she had listened to me, would she really just go? For me? Apparently yes because she started to bring Adrian back to the safety of the dorm. I slid Oksana's ring off my finger quickly and slid it on his finger just as fast. I just needed to see just a tiny pint of the old _him_ in his eyes before I killed him once and for all. After all this ring had worked other small miracles before.

"Roza, just do it."

I held my stake above his heart, and then my grip started to loosen. My stake clattered noisily to the ground as I released my grip on the shining metal and I pounced off of him onto my feet again. He was up just as quick.

"Go Dimitri,"

"And if you don't leave in peace I _will _kill you, I _have_ to protect the rest of them."

"Thank you Roza." But the weird thing was is that he sounded utterly sincere.

"Don't _ever_ show your face to anyone but me again." I told him.

"I can't make any promises but I will see you again soon," Dimitri sighed.

"I'm looking forward to it."

Dimitri dashed off the campus quickly. I hadn't expected him to take my warning seriously but obviously he had. Maybe, just maybe there was some of the old him buried deep into him.

That's when I realized that he was still wearing Oksana's ring.

I smiled; I had a theory now all I needed was Robert Doru to prove it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! I'm so glad to see that you are enjoying my story so far. :)**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter guys and don't worry there is still tons more to come! : D  
**

I stumbled back to the main campus uneasily. Had I _really _just done that? Really? I mean come on! This was the third time I had faced him since he became a strigoi and the third time I had .. I tried not to think the word unsuccessfully – failed. I wasn't sure what to tell my mother and the other guardians as I returned. Would I tell them that I killed him, just like I told him to do? Yes that would be the only way that I could do it. If I didn't _no one_ would think of me as a real guardian, a professional, except _maybe_ Lissa. But she couldn't know- not yet if I could get one think off her mind I would. Ever since Victor Dashkov's prison break she had been in the ruins worrying constantly in case he was coming after her again. I was worried about Victor too but not for any of the same reasons. I could easily protect Lissa if I had to she was plenty safe in that area. I was worried about how to weasel the information about his brother out of him now, after all that one little thing that could promise me to get the information I needed –breaking him out- was now no longer an option and now I needed to figure out something else that he wanted. Something that no one else could give to him.

_Rose._ I heard a voice inside my head. If anyone else said this it would probably mean they were going insane although I knew that this was just Lissa.

SHIT! I thought putting up my barriers. I had been so consumed in my thoughts I didn't realize that Lissa could've easily heard any of that.

_Yeah Liss?_ I asked uneasily, but I had to play it cool at least for now.

_Is it safe now?_ Lissa asked warily.

_Yes Lissa it's safe. I got rid of him._

I didn't want to lie to Lissa and this way I wasn't, really. Just bending the truth a little bit. It's not like she asked if I killed him or _how _I killed him or anything. Besides I could lie if I needed to, I had always been able to trick people –except Dimitri- a little voice inside my head said but I quickly shook it away. I could lie if I had to. I would have to.

Just then my mother started to approach and I put down my newly perfected guardian's mask since I knew she was going to be only business.

"Well?" She asked sharply only interested in the mission. But that was okay that's how I liked my mother. Once upon a time I would have thought that she was a bitch for saying this to me and not worrying about her daughter but now I understood her better. She would listen if I needed her to but you had to be the one to reach out first. I had learnt this in the last couple of months.

I knew that I would have to look at least a little sad or show some kind of emotion, after all my mother knew everything now about my relationship with Dimitri, my travels and mostly everything else that had happened over the past few months. She was one of the few people that did know actually.

"He's gone." I whispered in a hollow voice, that I _hoped _portrayed the same feeling of when I had first learnt that he was dead and then even worst discovered that he was a strigoi.

My mother awkwardly looked up at me and hugged me. She didn't promise that it would be okay or that it would pass, after all who was she to judge? I doubt she had lost her lover's soul and then failed to free him continuously. She just hugged me and patted my head as a single tear glistened down me cheek.

It was time to face Lissa. I had stayed awake all last night sobbing and most of today too but I had a good reason. Well the first reason, the _fake_ reason was that Dimitri was gone. Forever. So I had a pretty good excuse actually. No one bothered me all day and I couldn't help but wonder if anyone had guessed the truth between me and Dimitri and that it was more than a student-teacher relationship. The second reason was that I had failed. Again. I tried to implant the lie in my brain that I did kill him but I couldn't. Third time's the charm they said. It turns out that that is also a lie. I had come to realize that we are told a lot of lies when we are younger such as the previous.

_Time is the ultimate healer._

_Practice makes perfect._

Those past two occurred to me as well I realized but then again I didn't really care.

I tossed the brush through my long dark brown hair and walked out my door all the way over to the moroi dorms. I was given a lot of stares on my way: some pitiful, some admiring, and others freaked out. I shrugged, what did I care what these stares meant? I didn't, exactly.

As I reached Lissa's room I took a deep breath and then knocked three times quickly. She opened the door and greeted me in an embrace.

"I'm so so so sorry Rose. " She sighed. I didn't need to ask what she was sorry about.

"I'm fine Lissa. Why don't you let me in?" It was a lie but she just nodded and moved out of the way so I could pass. I was surprised to see her room covered in brown boxes with her usual decorations down and clothes strewn everywhere.

"Um, Liss? What's going on?"

"I'm packing silly." She responded as if this was such a stupid question.

"I need to decide what I'm bringing and what I am throwing away."

"But where are you _bringing_ it?"

What the hell was going on?! I thought.

"Rose graduation is only a week away." Lissa walked over towards the calendar that had been taken down and was now lying on her red sofa. My eyes followed her and then saw the date that had been circled multiple times by all different colour pens.

July 3rd. The day that changed everything. The day that I finally became a guardian and not _only _a guardian but Lissa's guardian. If I was lucky. I sighed.

"I'm sorry Liss how could I have forgotten?"

She shrugged.

"Well you've had a lot on your mind lately."

"But Liss this is what I have been looking forward to since I was a baby!"

"Yeah me too. Oh by the way I've figured out a replacement for Dimitri." I just stared blankly at her. There could _never _be a replacement for Dimitri in my heart. How could Lissa be so insensitive to just think that someone else could take his place. I shook my head quickly shaking off the thoughts.

Lissa saw my disgruntled expression and quickly added.

"For in court I mean."

I relaxed my tense position. Of course, so Lissa could go to Lehigh University and have her happily ever after: going to college and getting married and having children. Probably even become queen, the _queen_ definitely loved Lissa and needed to pick an heir soon. I still couldn't get over my repulsion to her though. To think I liked Adrian... I shuddered.

It seemed unfair that Lissa could get her happily ever after while I lived a nightmare. I wouldn't put Lissa to blame though; it was just the way the moroi economy worked. The moroi got their dreams while the dhampirs protected them. It wasn't like I resented Lissa for that though being her guardian was part of my happily ever after. But so was Dimitri... I wouldn't lose hope yet though because there _was_ still hope no matter what anyone else said.

"Oh cool, and who is the lucky guy?" Or girl I added on as an afterthought. After all it wasn't like I could comment I _was_ a female guardian. It was just that a lot of female dhampirs stayed at home to raise their families. _Blood whores._ But no I would not think that. Olena had explained to me that their actually wasn't a lot of _them_ left and besides I already had a close encounter of becoming one myself.

"We think that his name is Peter Revana." She stated.

"Apparently he used to protect Ashley Drozdov before the strigoi came and murdered their family." She continued.

The last part of her statement faded into silence.

"There were no survivors." I said blandly.

"What? Oh no he was on leave." She explained.

Well that would make sense. What a lucky dhampir. Of course when I went to hunt down Robert Doru, no way could he come with us and how on earth would I explain me suddenly disappearing if I had just gotten everything that I had every wanted? That the public knew of at least...

"So is it official?" Please let it not be. If not we can get Eddie or someone... But would I leave Lissa in Eddie's protection? Eddie who yes was a great fighter but was he the best? This I didn't know. What to do, what to do...

"Well I suppose not. The papers still need to be signed but otherwise yes."

"Don't sign the papers." I told her.

"What?!" She yelped. "But he is one of the best guardians ever. Nothing compared to Dimitri-"

She changed her course when she realized that obviously I was still very sensitive about him.

"But still one of the greatest guardians. When the Drozdov's family was murdered he could've been _anyone's_ guardian and the fact that he wants to be mine?" She continued to babble unlike herself.

"Calm down Lissa. I'm not saying that I have to be your only guardian. You will have tons more protection in case I fail."

"Rose," she said softly "you _are_ the best novice and probably will be one of the best guardians I'm not saying that I doubt you but..."

"Stop, stop Lissa! I'm not fishing for compliments, really." I looked into her eyes sincerely to show that I meant it. "I just think I can find you someone better."

Lissa looked at me shocked.

"But Rose,"

"I'll see you later Liss, I have to talk to Alberta."

"You mean Guardian Petrov?"

"Lissa," I turned around to look at her sarcastically. "Please, _please _tell me that you know me better than that?"

She just grinned back. All damage healed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys I hope you enjoy this chapter (like always :P)!**

**So remember to review, review, review!**

**P.S. I can't wait until I post the next chapter it was _so _much fun to write!  
**

"Alberta!" I shouted as I ran towards her over the lawn.

"Hey Rose, what can I do for you?"

The other guardians sort of treated me like one of their own. I loved that feeling it seems that I would get used to court life fairly easily.

"Actually Rose I was wondering when we should get your molnija marks on?" Alberta continued before I got a chance to begin.

The question caught me off guard, I hadn't killed any strigoi. Well except for the ones in Russia. Oh she must think Dimitri. I sighed how was I going to make up an excuse for that.

"Wait a second you said _marks?" _I asked incredulously.

"Yes," she nodded "the few that you killed in Russia and the one on campus of course."

It seemed that she had a hard time thinking of Dimitri as well. I hadn't realized they had been so close.

"Actually I don't need any molnija marks." I shook it off I didn't want to be having this conversation.

"Of course you do!" She looked down at my doubtful expression. "Rose, this is not about selflessness or selfishness or wanting to prove yourself. When you kill a strigoi a mark goes on your neck whether you like it or not." She sighed and then started up again in a softer tone. "Rose listen those marks whether you like it or not are just a symbol and you cannot erase what is already done. Even if you don't have those marks on your neck you will still have killed those strigoi."

"But if I've killed them whether or not they are on my neck why does it matter?!" I said stubbornly.

"Rose," she said in a dead serious voice. "You _will_ have those marks on your neck whether you like it or not. You _need_ to face your fears, your past." It appeared that her lecture was over and her eyes softened.

"Okay," I breathed in a big gulp of air. "I'll have them done but I _can't_ at all costs have D-D-Dimitri's mark on my neck. I can't face thinking of him as anything else than how I knew him." Besides I hadn't really killed him.

She sighed. "Okay Rose I will let that one slide but the rest... How many were there?"

"Um, I'm not sure," I said unsteadily "I didn't really count."

I went backwards in my mind trying to count.

There were the four that Sydney rattled on me about, and the other three with the group, and then the two in my captivity. It turns out there was a lot more strigoi that I killed why I was away then I realized.

"Um, there was nine that I can remember." I told her positively.

Her eyes widened at such a number in such a short time but she kept her face controlled as she started to walk away.

"Um, Alberta? There was something else I wanted to talk to you about..."

"Yes Rose?"

"Well I was wondering if we could talk in your office." I knew that if there was one person I could trust with my secret it would be her.

We reached her office and she handed me a cup of hot chocolate. She drank hers right away the way Dimitri did. I grinned at the memory until I realized that I should be sad.

"Alberta," I took a deep breath. "Have you ever heard of a strigoi reversing itself?"

She raised her eyebrows at me in alarm. Obviously I had been wrong she _wasn't _the right person to tell.

"No why would you ask?"

"Nothing just something I picked up in Russia."

She sighed and looked at me with comfort. "If it was possible Rose, I'm sure that the most powerful people in the world would be sharing it. It would be a world known thing."

I nodded. So much for confiding in her.

"Thanks Alberta," I smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow." She said.

"Oh right." I had already forgotten about my promise to get the molnija marks.

* * *

Things went as usual ... or as usual as they've ever been at 's over the next couple of days. Except for one tiny change, all final tests for us senior novices were over. Those that didn't get the chance would just have to be graded on our field experience that we did earlier this year, fabulous. Especially considering how I had gone sort of psycho during this time. My friends continued treating me the same though and things went on as they normally did with us. The other ones; moroi and novices alike continued to stare at me through the hallways. I was sort of getting pissed, actually. Why couldn't they just leave me alone?! It wasn't like I had just gone off and killed my lover. Okay well technically that was the story they knew but they didn't know Dimitri was my lover, right?

"Lissa," I asked Lissa nervously as we made our way from the feeders room.

"Yeah Rose, what's up?" She seemed nervous like I was about to crack. Ha! Yeah right the famous badass Rose Hathaway crack? Okay maybe just a little bit.

"There's something I need to talk to you about."

Suddenly Christian came over, everything was well again with the two lovebirds I thought as he gave Lissa a quick peck on the lips and put his arm around her waist.

_Later_. I told Lissa I didn't want anyone overhearing us, even Christian.

"Ugh could you give up with the theatrics Christian your giving me a headache." I teased as their small casual kiss started to become more intense. He broke their kiss and winked at Lissa.

"You haven't seen _anything_ yet." He replied while Lissa giggled.

"I've been inside Lissa's head Christian and trust me you are just at a beginner level. You know if Dimitri was still here I would consider giving you some lessons." I laughed and then realized that everyone was staring at me shocked that I had brought up the subject. I wasn't going to show them how I could break down though. At least not in front of all of them even though they _had _known about mine and Dimitri's relationship.

Adrian however standing in the middle of Lissa and I chuckled.

"Little Dhampir I wouldn't mind letting you practice on _me._" He joked but I just punched him in the arm.

It was nice to see that some things never changed. Lissa soon recovered as well as Christian.

"Well I hate to take Lissa away from you Rose but I suppose if we're having a competition we should go and practice." I did not need a translation for the double meaning in his words.

I shrugged, "Okay I'll see you soon." I hated how sometimes he stole her away from me. Especially when I needed Lissa the most but it would have to wait until later. Especially since the clock was ticking.

"So my little dhampir where are you off too?" It was now just Adrian and I.

"Actually I have to go and get my molnija marks done." I sighed thinking about yesterday's exchange between myself and Alberta.

"So I'll see you later."

Adrian grinned.

"You can count on it."

I quickly made my way over to the banquet hall where there was a small gathering of guardians. It was nothing compared to what was at the Lodge though. I walked up and went to sit on the stool in the middle of the enormous room. Lionel the same guy who had done my tattoos in the winter pressed his needle to my neck and began his work.

Once the ceremony was over I greeted the few guardians I knew there and then left quickly. I had to speak to Lissa immediately; if I didn't do it now I knew that I wasn't going to get my chance. I left my hair done as I jogged to the moroi dorms. I didn't need anyone slowing me down but as I cut across the middle school dorms I saw Jill. I hadn't seen Jill since when I was in Russia; when I was inside Lissa's head but she hadn't seen _me_ since well a long time ago now that I thought about it. It would be nice to speak to someone different, someone nice and who didn't give you cautious looks like all my friends.

"Hey Jill," I smiled as warmly as I thought possible.

"Hey Rose!" She squealed, well at least she definitely didn't think any worse of me.

"How's your training going?" I asked her. I knew that she had gone over to the court with Lissa and then gone to see Mia but now thinking about Lissa's last time in court made me shudder. What a bitch Avery turned out to be.

"Great! I went to court with Lissa while you were away and then I went with Mia and she showed me all this really cool stuff."

I laughed at her overly excited attitude. I wasn't mocking her though I was genuinely happy to see someone like her.

"So did your gym teacher ever teach you how to throw a punch?" I knew the answer before I asked but I liked listening to her nice chatty voice; it was calming. She babbled on and on until obviously I was supposed to answer something.

"Rose, rose?" She asked anxiously.

"Oh sorry Jill I just sort of blanked out there for a second."

"It's okay, anyways I was asking you if it was true that you killed Guardian Belikov?"

"He's gone." I answered not wanting to answer her question directly. After all I didn't want Jill thinking badly of me some day because of answers that I could had lied about.

"Wow." She said shocked. "I didn't think you were going to be able to do it ... I mean obviously you could probably do it physically I just thought you guys were really close." Jill added probably not wanting to offend me.

"It was hard." I replied blankly. The first time I hesitated, the second time I missed, the third time I couldn't do it. I realized how lame that sounded. Yep it was definitely hard.

"Anyways Jill I have to get going I have to meet up with Lissa."

"How is Lissa anyways? And Christian I mean are they back together?"

"Yeah Jill they're back together but it took me a long time." I grinned at her. "They ended up forgiving each other though." I smiled. "And don't worry you weren't the cause of it they were bound to have a fight eventually."

Jill just stared at me her mouth open wide.

"H-how did you know that?" She stuttered.

"I was in her head at the time Jill – shadow kissed remember?" I said tapping my temple while smiling.

The whole school knew about Lissa's and Adrian's unique abilities as well as my own.

"Anyways don't blame yourself Jill and keep practicing. I'll see you later."

"Thanks Rose and I'm sorry."

I didn't have to ask what she was sorry for, she knew more about mine and Dimitri's relationship more than any other students in the school except for Lissa, Christian, and Adrian; although Adrian wasn't really considered a student. Jill knew that we were more than teacher and student but didn't know at all about our relationship- just that we had been good friends.

* * *

By the time I reached Lissa it was very close to curfew but I had been delayed enough I had to speak to her now.

"Lissa?"

I knocked three times on her door.

"Come on in Rose," she yelled.

I opened the door to see her and Christian cuddled together on her red sofa watching a movie.

"I'm sorry guys I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Apology accepted now could you come back later, like in the morning?" Christian snickered.

"Actually I can't," I went down to sit in another chair.

"Lissa it's important." I looked her in the eyes. Christian just had to go today.

"Fine," she groaned. "I'll see you later Christian."

Christian sighed but backed away and started to gather his things.

"I'll see you later?" He asked hopefully.

"Tomorrow," I growled at Christian. "This could take all night."

"Bye Christian!"

"See ya flame!" I smirked.

"Look who's laughing now." I added.

Once the door closed we both turned serious.

"Lissa there is something I need to tell you..."


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for all the excellent reviews guy I really enjoy reading what you have to say!**

**This is a bit of a sucky chapter guys, not my best writing but I wasn't exactly in the mood when I wrote this first part.**

**One part was really fun for me to write though - I really got to get into Rose's role!**

**Anyways enjoy and remember to review : D.**

**-Catherine**

**P.S. I wanted to add that I do not own Vampire Academy or any of the characters. They belong to Richelle Mead. (Although I wouldn't mind owning Dimitri).  
**

"Yes, Rose?" Lissa asked warily.

"Well, in order for you to understand I am going to have to start at the beginning."

She nodded, so I took that as a signal to continue on.

"Well as you know when I was in Russia last year searching for Dimitri I met his family. But well there is a little bit that I didn't tell you about. Actually a lot..." My voice trailed off into silence.

"What?!" screeched Lissa.

"Well I would have told you but I knew that you would probably get upset." I started to raise my voice, I was defensive now.

"Okay," I took a deep breath. "Well while I was in Baia I met another spirit user."

"Rose! Why didn't you tell me; you know that me and Adrian have been looking for more information!" Lissa said accusingly.

"Because then you would ask questions and it would lead to other things that I had to keep a secret!" I sighed.

"Anyways back to the story. They were a bonded couple just like you and me and they had other methods for healing when Mark took the darkness away." I took a deep breath.

"You already know about that though. The part with the ring but you see when I tried to kill Dimitri for the first time he took off the ring," I flinched at the memory. Of how close he had been to his former self when he had the ring.

"Anyways when he held the ring I saw some part of his former self. So when I got back from my kidnapping I was at the Belikov's house and I asked Oksana about maybe why that was."

"Oksana told me that it _was_ possible for a strigoi to reverse back to whoever they were before they were turned. But the problem is it has only been done once and there is only one person who has the knowledge that I need."

"Oh Rose," Lissa whimpered as she put her arms around me. "I know that you want this to be true but Dimitri is dead. For good now."

"Lissa don't comfort me just yet; you will be the one needing it in a second."

Lissa nodded; shocked but she kept her arms around me and keeping me a whole.

"Anyways the person who claims to have done this is Robert Doru and he is a spirit user as well."

"Rose, that sounds familiar."

"That's because you've met him Lissa." I told her.

She stared at me shocked.

"No surely I haven't I mean no way. I would have known that he was spirit or..." Lissa mumbled.

"Lissa, listen to me you _have_ met him! ... He's Victor Dashkov's half brother."

Lissa stared at me, petrified.

"No," she whispered. "No surely not it must be just a mistake." I looked up at her tiny fragile features with her baby blue eyes drowned in terror.

"Don't worry Lissa. You don't have to help me if you don't want to."

Lissa avoided my statement though and started to change the subject.

"But where on earth would I have met him Rose? For God's sake!"

"At Victor's 40th birthday party remember? You were only ten." He had mostly kept to himself all this time and I believed Oksana; he _was_ crazy not to mention where on earth where he might be.

"Oh right ... Rose you didn't break him out of jail, did you?"

"No, of course not!" I said insulted even though I _had _been thinking that and I knew that if he was still locked up I would.

"Well, why are we even having this conversation Rose? Dimitri is DEAD!"

"No he's not Lissa! Let me finish!" I snarled at her. How could she bring up such a hurtful topic twice in the same night? Even if she believed that he was she had to let me get through this. Then I realized my mistake; I had just told her exactly what I was leading up to. My world was going to go crashing down now. I looked at Lissa again and apologized.

"I'm sorry Lissa. I'm so so sorry."

"Rose," she whispered "if he's not dead then _where _is he and _when_ is he coming back and _why did you let him go?_

"I don't know Lissa." I looked down at the floor.

"I don't know."

Lissa flung herself off the bed like she had been electrocuted and started to storm out the door.

"Lissa! LISSA!"

"I'm going to see Christian." She said stiffly.

"No Lissa listen I didn't mean to upset you," I grabbed a grip on her arm "but I thought you had to know and if you don't want to come with me I completely understand ..."

"Wait a minute Rose? What do you mean _come _with you? Where are you going?"

"I have a lot more to explain Lissa. Just come back in and I will tell you everything."

Lissa considered this and then returned into the room- still stressed.

"Okay, I'm listening."

"First calm down Lissa okay? Hear me out before you make any more accusations."

"Okay where was I? Right okay so I need to find Victor. I know that it probably sounds stupid Lissa but I have to do this. Can you imagine if it was Christian or me? You would want to do everything that was possible to save him right? You would probably even try crazy ideas with the slimmest chance."

"Oh, of course I'll be there for you!"

"Listen to me Liss, I'm not forcing you into this Lissa; in fact I would rather you didn't come for your own safety but I want to give you a choice. "

"No I'm coming." Lissa said determined. "You promised me that I could come on your next crazy adventure."

We both grinned at each other for a moment and then I continued.

"Think about it first Lissa; this would mean giving up court and university. Everything you ever wanted. Maybe even Christian until you get back."

Lissa froze at that.

"No Rose I can't, I just can't. I _have-_" I cut her off.

"Lissa ask him first if he wants to go but not yet. I have to get everything settled with my dad first anyways... But seriously Lissa think about it and tell me what you decide in the morning. I'll understand if you don't want to speak to me ever again after all I'm asking you to give up your happy ending for mine but ..."

"Rose-"

"Think about it Lissa, this is serious. It's not something that you can go back on once we start."

Lissa nodded.

"Okay but it won't change my mind."

"Call him Lissa but don't give him any details. Just ask if he wants to go on a dangerous adventure with you and me," I winked at her.

"Anyways tell me what you decide in the morning!" I yelled to her as I closed her door.

* * *

The next day passed slowly. I hadn't really expected Lissa to never talk to me again and it was already approaching lunch time. The minutes never passed and I felt like those times when you were so close to what you wanted but yet so far away. As the bell rang I made my way quickly to fourth period. Ugh I had Stan today and he was definitely not my favourite person to deal with when I was having a bad day. Apparently I wasn't fast enough today for Stan though or maybe he was just in a _really _bad mood but for whatever the reason apparently I was going to be his object of teasing today because when I walked into class he tsked at me.

"Late again are was ."

"Actually I'm on time Stan," I spat pointing up to the clock on the wall. "Maybe you need to get your eyes checked."

"And to _you _I believe it is Guardian Alto."

"Sorry it's Stan forever. Always has been and always will. _Besides _we are all equal now; actually I believe that I'm _above _you since your what 44 years old and only killed one strigoi?"

He harrumphed while a few of the boys in the back snickered.

"It's still Guardian Alto _and _for your information I've killed _two_ strigoi and many in battle."

"Whatever Stan you still know that I've killed more than you and you're more than double my age."

"Go take your seat !" He replied sharply. "I've had enough, I am an _adult _and you should treat me with respect."

"Meh, respect isn't really my thing, at least not for you _and _for your information I am eighteen."

"You are still a novice and you _will _respect me."

"True but I have killed more strigoi than a lot of other guardians and I'm not the one to take orders, sorry."

"Rose Hathaway did you just apologize to me?" Stan said his voice and blood pressure rising.

"Well usually when people say 'sorry' that means that they are apologizing so I suppose I just did."

"Go sit down!" He ordered while his forehead looked about to bust a vein.

"Whatever you say Stan."

Stan decided to ignore my last comment and continue on with his boring lesson plan. Personally I would never understand why they taught you 'Bodyguard _theory_' like shouldn't they be teaching us like correct ways to bodyguard our morois instead of just teaching us based on the teacher's guesses? I would never really understand this strange thing so I just decided to lay back in my seat and tune into Lissa's head.

I relaxed all of my thoughts and emotions and in an instant I was looking through Lissa's eyes. She was in Politics class and instead of writing notes on 's lesson she had a chart in front of her listing all the pros and cons of coming or stating away from me. I chuckled to myself. Oh my good little Lissa not paying attention in class yet she was still being amazingly organized. Why couldn't she just think it out like a normal person?

I took a closer look down at her chart now to see what her chart said:

Pros:

I won't need to worry about Rose.

I will get to see some real adventure.

I will get to meet another spirit user.

I get to help Rose.

Rose needs me.

Cons:

I won't get to go to university.

Christian might not want to go.

I will miss out on university.

I will miss my chance at becoming queen.

I could die.

In my opinion the cons outweighed the pros especially considering that 3/5 of the pros were about me. No I would not allow her to come if she was only coming for me, she had to come because well ... Now that I thought about it I would do the same thing for her if it was Christian in Dimitri's place but could I risk Lissa's happily ever after to get my own? Could I really do that to her? I sighed no need in worrying about that yet she might even decide to refuse my offer.

I started to focus on my own emotions then and I sank back into my own head. I looked up at the clock. _Only 4 minutes left._ It appeared as though I had been in Lissa's head for longer than I thought although I didn't mind; I would take anything to get away from Stan's stupid class. Once the bell rang I leapt up immediately and ran towards Lissa's location. She was close enough that I could feel that she was in the library. I ran through the hallway and over the parking lot until I got there and then I saw her working at a table with Christian.

"You can't come." I told her.

"What?! Come on Rose you promised I could!"

"No Lissa I'm not letting you come with all things that you could be missing out on. I won't trade your happily ever after for my own."

"But Rose! We _have _to be together."

"I agree Lissa which is why I will stay. I will stay and become your guardian like I am supposed to do."

She was so shocked that she stared at me with her mouth wide open.

"Wait a second Rose," Christian protested. "Where are you going in the first place?"

"I'll tell you later Christian."

"No, now!" He grabbed the front of my shirt. "I need to know Rose if it involves Lissa."

"Fine Christian but if you tell _anyone_ I will hurt you very very badly."

Christian raised one eyebrow at me.

"How so?"

"Let's just say you and Lissa won't be able to make any babies together."

He chuckled.

"Come on Rose you know I won't tell anyone."

"I agree but if I'm telling you I'm going to have to tell Adrian as well."

"That sounds good," Lissa added. "I mean we need to have all the chances we can get, right?"

Ugh it appeared like I wasn't going to win this argument.

"Fine Lissa you can come." Now I was annoyed.

"Thank you Rose!" She squealed.

"Are you sure Liss? Maybe you should-"

"No Rose I'm coming."

"Fine," I groaned. "Get Adrian and meet me in Lissa's room at 1am."

With that I turned and left the library.


	6. Chapter 6

**I absolutely love this chapter guys!**

**It reveals a lot of secrets so read closely!**

**Anyways keep reading and remember to review! : D**

**-huggles-**

**-Catherine  
**

That night I waited until 1pm to go to Lissa's room. I knew that Lissa's room would be the best place to meet so that Christian and Adrian didn't have to get out in the sunlight. While I waited for the time to pass until I would finally unveil all of my secrets to them I received a package. While I was thinking about how to phrase my adventure for Christian and Adrian I heard three knocks on my door.

"Who is it?" I called out not bothering to open the door myself.

"A package for um Ms. Rose Hathaway." I deep man's voice boomed.

I walked over towards my door and opened it.

"Thanks," I said awkwardly while I took my package from him.

"You will need to sign here," he pointed towards a clipboard and offered me a pen.

I signed quickly and then closed the door. It was weird for someone to deliver me a package so late at night I thought oddly. After all us dhampirs worked on the same sleeping pattern as the moroi. I sat down at my desk to see that this envelope was covered in stamps; much like the one Dimitri had sent me. Dimitri wouldn't come back so soon, would he? I thought scared. I took in the handwriting on it though and realized it was nothing like Dimitri's clear print. It was actually a very handwriting. NO need to jump to conclusions.

I opened and read the package:

Rose,

I am so so so sorry about leaving things awfully on when you came to visit! Of course you understand what love is. Yeva just told the family the whole story and I just had to write to you. I mean I already felt bad enough but once Yeva told us this? I was absolutely shocked! Anyways I hope that you are doing good and stuff and I can't wait for your next visit!

Anyways write back soon!

Xoxo

Viktoria.

Oh my it was little Viktoria. How could I have held a grudge go one for so long against one of my favourite people in the world? Although I had good reason to after all how could she assume that I didn't know what love was when the whole reason I went across the world was to save Dimitri. I shook my head, oh my. It still pissed me off a little actually after all the same things she said but I quickly wrote back a short reply; she was forgiven.

Hey Viktoria!

It's so nice to hear from you and of course you're forgiven. I don't know when I will be coming out next but I will keep in contact with you.

Love,

Rose

Once I had finished I realized that the sun was high up in the sky now and I quickly slipped out of my dorm room. The guard who was supposed to be watching there was fast asleep so I quietly tiptoed past him and ran all the way to Lissa's room. Once I opened the door everyone else was already there. I sighed – it was time to tell them.

"Okay guys I am going to have to start about what you already know."

I told them the same story I had told Lissa with all the important facts but I was sure to leave out all the details about Dimitri and me personally. Their reaction wasn't as bad as Lissa's in the long run. They kept their cool for the most part and just looked shocked. Once I had finally finished they both didn't need to consider anything like Lissa.

"Oh my god!" Christian yelled while everyone shushed him to me quiet.

"I'm coming," Adrian said quietly.

"No Adrian you can't come."

"Why not, my little dhampir? I could be a huge advantage with all of my contacts."

"Because I promised Lissa that she could come on my next crazy adventure and she would only go if Christian went but you can't come to Adrian."

"I'm coming Rose and you can't stop me. Besides four is better than three right?"

"Not exactly," I mumbled but finally give in.

"Okay will if I let you guys come you have to follow all my instructions."

"You're not the boss of me!" Christian protested.

"Actually I am fireboy if you are coming with me on _my _trip."

Christian sighed but didn't protest any further. Smart move I thought sarcastically.

"So when do we leave?" Adrian said enthusiastically.

"Not for a while yet but soon," I told them. "Dimitri had told me that he would be back and I don't doubt that for a second but there is a lot to organize."

"Rose, how on earth are we supposed to find Victor?"

"I don't know Lissa; it would've been a lot easier just to break him out from prison but now that it seems that that option is no longer available we are going to have to find out another way to find him and then his brother."

"I could probably ask around," Adrian said. "There are a lot of people who owe me some favors." He grinned mischeviously.

"Yeah I can probably ask Abe again too. Although when I first found out about this he contacted Victor while he was still in prison Victor told him that nothing he could ever give him would make him tell his brother's location."

"In my opinion Victor probably just has his brother locked up," mumbled Christian- probably to himself.

A knowing glance passed between me and Lissa.

"Oh my god." We mouthed wordlessly at each other.

"That's it!" exclaimed Lissa. "When Victor had kidnapped me he said that he was going to lock me up and use me for healing him."

"Robert is probably dead," Adrian sighed defeated.

"Yeah probably," Christian mumbled.

"He might've wanted to save his brother..." Lissa trailed off into silence.

"I doubt it Lissa I mean come on if he didn't mind capturing his niece I doubt anymore that he would mind capturing his brother." I told her.

"Yeah but I mean Adrian and I have different powers; I can heal expertly while he can hardly do it and I am just starting to dreamwalk. Maybe Robert was like Adrian, maybe he can't heal either."

"Hey I can heal!" Adrian punched her softly on the arm.

"Not very well," Christian smirked.

"Maybe, but if he couldn't then how would he know that Lissa had spirit when he and Natalie only saw her heal animals?"

"Well maybe they knew another spirit user," Lissa said softly.

"No," I said positively. "Victor learned about spirit from his brother I am sure of that."

"Well then I guess we won't know if Robert is alive." I frowned.

"No giving up yet there is still my idea," Adrian grinned.

"And what is your idea your majesty," I laughed sarcastically.

"Well Victor's cell was in Russia so maybe-"

"_Russia!"_ I declared. "Why didn't I see this before?!"

All three of them exchanged bewildered looks.

"Okay first of all Adrian _why _didn't you tell me that Victor's cell was in Russia?"

"I didn't think it was that important since he broke out." Adrian mumbled.

"It still could have been useful!"

"Is it useful?" He said raising one eyebrow.

"Well no ..."

"Okay then why don't you tell us what you were squealing about a minute ago."

"Rose Hathaway does not squeal." I defended.

"Well you just squealed," announced Adrian.

"Enough, enough," expressed Lissa. "Go on Rose."

"Well I would if _somebody _would let me continue," I gave Adrian a knowing glance while Christian chuckled.

"Anyways Oksana!"

"What?!" They screamed at me surprised.

"Oksana is the spirit user I met down in Russia and she can read people's minds that she is familiar with when they are close by."

"That doesn't really help us Rose after all we don't know _where-_" Christian disapproved.

"Shut up Christian I'm not finished yet."

"_But _she was working on it over distances it. She just has to have been in the presence of that someone before."  
"Rose," Lissa said delicatedly. "That's a great idea but do you really think it's possible that Oksana and Victor have met before?"

"Nope I don't Lissa."

"Then why would you even bring it up."

"Because she was able to reach you through me."

"You and Lissa have a bond!" Adrian interrupted.

"Yes but she's working over distance now Adrian!" I exclaimed. "And maybe if she goes through Lissa they can both put their powers together to reach him!" Hope filled my voice but the others looked doubtful.

"Oh come on guys! What will it hurt to try?"

"Okay we can _try_," Christian still looked doubtful.

"That's all I ever asked." I grinned.

"So when are we going to Russia?" Squealed Lissa.

"I'm not sure yet, it will take a while to settle out with Oksana and Mark and then I will tell Abe where we are going as well."

"Hold on a minute first of all who is Mark?" Christian mentioned.

"Oksana's bond mate." I replied quickly.

"Okay and second of all who is Abe? I mean you've mentioned him a _thousand _time buts I still have no idea who this creep is!"

"Abe is my father."

Christian and Adrian stared at me dumbly.

"What?! Since when do you have a father." Adrian said.

"Well when two people love each other-" I smirked.

"I know how babies are made Rose. I want to know when did you find him."

"Back in Russia guys, remember? I told you this story."

"Yes but you didn't include that this guy was your father! I always just thought it was a guy that owed you or that you scared the life out of. You are pretty scary you know." Christian insisted.

"Well get over it because Abe is going to play a big part in our trip. Oh and by the way wait until you meet Abe if you think _I'm _scary."

"But he's moroi," Adrian explained. "No moroi can be scary."

"I think that you should rethink your lifestyle Adrian."

He shrugged.

"Anyways we have a lot to do. It was lucky that I heard from Viktoria today-"

"Who's Viktoria?" Christian asked.

"I'll tell you later," I told him while Lissa mouthed to him 'Dimitri's little sister'.

Christian and Adrian looked at me again.

"I think you have a lot to tell us."

"Yeah I do but it's not important.

"Anyways I will let her know that we are coming to Russia soon, she wanted to see me anyways."

"Rose is there anything else that you forgot to tell us," inquired Adrian.

"I haven't _forgotten. _It's just that it can wait until morning or never. It's not important."

"Anyways you two should head back to your dorms before you get caught." I told Christian and Adrian.

"What about you?" Lissa said softly.

"I never get caught." I grinned and looked at each of my friend's faces.

* * *

That night I laid asleep in my bed thinking about my new plan. It could work, it was a slim chance but I had been all about taking chances from the beginning. I placed my hand on the back of my neck and rubbed my new molnija marks. There was nothing to be worried about I could protect my friends. I _would _protect my friends. Now that I thought about it I should have told Eddie. I felt sort of bad about that but my group had gotten way bigger than I had originally planned. I would tell him in the morning, I thought. I then rolled over on my side waiting for sleep to capture me but it never did. All I felt was sudden lust and I knew what was happening. It seemed that Christian decided not to go home after all. I sighed thinking about mine and Dimitri's time together in the cabin.

I needed some air- thinking about one person for far too long _couldn't _me good for your brain cells. I hopped out of bed and grabbed my lou lou lemon sweater and flip flops. It was such a nice night. I breathed in the warm summer air all around me. It was so nice in the day time it was really too bad that the moroi schedule made it nearly impossible for us dhampir's to come out in the day.

I stayed near the trees in case the guardian on duty passed by me but I never saw anyone. The birds were chirping pleasantly and the trees swayed with the cool July breeze. July. It was now July 1st. Only two days until I graduated and then I would have fulfilled my promise to my mother. I would be free to do whatever I wanted then. No limitations. It was really amazing to see how much I had changed since I was a child. When I was little all I had ever wanted was to be the best guardian there was. Once I came back I had changed but not as much as I was now. At the beginning of the year when Lissa and I were brought back to 's I _never_ would have thought that I would honor a promise I made to my mother but now I was doing just that. I never would've thought that I would find my dad either. Or that I would kill too many strigoi to count. Or fall in love. That last one I _never _would have imagined. Sure I'd had flings and stuff but fall in love? No way. Not the cold heart-breaker Rose Hathaway. I never thought that I would find someone as good as Dimitri either. Of course it was too good to be true. Dhampir's weren't supposed to have their happily ever endings. I let a small tear trail down my cheek until it dripped of my face. I wiped it away quickly before anyone could see and turned back towards my dorm.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! I love reading all of your great reviews! You are the reason I write!  
**

**Anyways this chapter is a bit longer but I didn't have time to write another chapter yesterday so hopefully I will have another one up a little later on today!  
**

**I hope you enjoy!**

**-Catherine**

**Note: Just another reminder that I do not own VA series or any of the VA characters (unless I made them up.)  
**

This was it, the day I graduated. I took a deep breath inhaling the fresh air that surrounded me. This would be the last time I would ever breathe in fresh air – while being a novice that is. My mother was here which had sort of surprised me even though the whole reason for me graduating had been her idea. My father was here as well- an even bigger surprise, my father and I had grown close over the past couple of months but I did not expect to see him here today. The moroi and the dhampirs had different ceremonies-which took part at different times of the day so that it would allow the other students to watch their friends graduate. The moroi ceremony took place in the morning and the dhampirs in the afternoon.

I lined up with Lissa as the other morois in her senior class crossed the stage to accept their diplomas. Lissa was sobbing heavily.

"I just can't believe it's all over, Rose!" She said in between happy tears.

"I mean it seems like just yesterday we were running away and now we are back and graduating." Lissa started to grip my elbow and jump up and down.

"Calm down Lissa you're going to ruin your makeup." I held her down while we laughed together.

"I'm sorry Rose, I'm just so excited!"

"I know Lissa so am I but you have to control yourself ... At least until the after party." Lissa and I shared a knowing glance and then we busted out laughing all the tears forgotten in our laughter.

Just then Ms. Kirova barked out "Dragomir, Vasilisa" and it was Lissa's turn.

"Good luck!" I squealed as she bounded towards the middle of the auditorium.

"Vasilisa, I know declare you a fully pledged moroi." announced as she placed the diploma in Lissa's hand.

"Go Lissa!" I screamed out that earned me some shushes from some of the teachers while the next person in line went to accept their diploma. Although I wasn't the only person who interrupted; from behind me I heard Christian let out a long whistle. I walked back towards him to wish him luck.

"Luck Fireboy," I smirked.

"Like I need it." He chuckled.

"I don't know it's not too late for them to change their mind about you." I playfully punched him on the arm.

"Well we will see about that."

"I suppose we will," I said as I turned around to take my place with the rest of the friends and family members of the graduates.

I was on my way to sit between my Eddie and my mother when I passed Adrian.

"Try not to get too drunk tonight," I whispered in his ear. "I need you sane tomorrow."

"Me, drunk? I've never heard of such a thing." Adrian whispered back sarcastically while I chuckled.

A few people turned in our direction-probably wondering what was so funny but I just ignored them and continued to walk towards my mother and Eddie.

"Hey Mom," I whispered while I sat down. She whispered a quick greeting back and then turned her entire focus on the graduation ceremony again.

"Eddie," I murmured in his ear. "Where on earth have you been these last couple of days?!"

"Disneyworld," he joked. "Actually I've been training with Alberta a lot lately. You know just so that I am ready for once I become a guardian."

"Eddie you don't need any extra practice. I've seen you in action and you are going to make a fabulous guardian." I whispered. "Whoever you get assigned to will be extremely lucky."

"Better safe than sorry, right?" he shrugged.

"I suppose," although I couldn't agree; I wasn't completely in agreement.

"Anyways I have to talk to you."

"I kind of figured that out Rose." He gestured around us.

"Haha, very funny. But seriously I have to talk to you before we head off in different directions."

"Who says we will be in different places?" Eddie whispered. "Maybe I will get assigned to someone at court too."

"Hopefully," I murmured back.

I than tried to focus on the ceremony because I heard Christian's name being called.

Once he accepted his diploma I cheered as well although he was one of the few who didn't get very much applause. It seemed that it was only I, Eddie, Adrian, my mother and father and Tasha who cheered. I tried not to let that last one bother me; but it did. I would have to talk to her sooner or later. Instead I focused on how much I used to like Tasha Ozera and how cool she was. It was only because of her interest in Dimitri that I disliked her and before Dimitri had turned he had made it very clear that it was only me he wanted. I sighed only me.

As I heard the last name "Zeklos, Jesse" I started to listen in a little bit more- I didn't want to miss the part where they all through their hats in the air. I couldn't believe that I had flirted with that guy for almost a month. That was a sick joke, he was such a pig. Worse than Adrian and that was saying something. I chuckled to myself at my new joke.

"What?" Asked Eddie.

"Nothing," I murmured.

"Ladies and gentlemen I give you the graduates of 2010!" Kirova announced as all of the senior moroi threw off their hats. Some jumped and some squealed but the two that I cared most about only kissed. Ugh they really couldn't keep their hands off each other for a minute could they?

I jumped out of my seat and ran over towards Lissa and Christian. I was quickly followed by Adrian, Eddie and Tasha. I broke apart their kiss and looked them both in the eyes.

"Congrats guys! Now would you mind keeping your hands off each other for a moment so I can give you a hug?"

I pulled Lissa into an enormous hug and then I patted Christian on the back.

"I guess you were right," I smirked.

"Aren't I always?" We both laughed.

"What's so funny?" Lissa asked interested.

"Nothing," I said mischievously while I grinned at her.

"Anyways I suppose I should go and get ready. After all I graduate in two hours! See you guys!" I yelled over my shoulder while I jogged out of the building-efficiently avoiding Tasha.

"Wait Rose!" Lissa grabbed a hold of my arm.

"Yeah, Liss?" I asked her, panting.

"I'm going to help you get ready."

"You don't have to Lissa," she gave me a doubtful expression so I told her. "Seriously, I don't have anything to wear I will probably just wear some old sweats or something."

"You can't wear sweat pants to your graduation Rose! You only graduate once."

"Ugh fine Liss but seriously I have nothing to wear and-"

"Enough! I have something for you and then I will do your makeup and hair."

"You sure Liss?"

"I'm positive now come on or we won't have enough time!" Lissa said as she started to drag me towards her room.

"Thanks Liss, I owe you." I whispered into her ear as I pulled her into a hug.

Once we arrived at Lissa's room she started digging through a box she already had packed.

"Lissa I'm sure I have something to wear at m-" she cut me off.

"No Rose I picked this out specifically for you and you are _going _to wear it whether you like it or not. This _and _the outfit I picked out for the after party."

I was starting to get excited now; I had forgotten how much I loved getting dressed up. Lissa pulled out of the box a bright blue cashmere sweater that would fit perfectly with my skin tone as well as a short denim skirt.

"Lissa, this is so cute!" I squealed. "Where on earth did you find something like this?"

"I told you I knew best," she grinned at me.

"Now go change and then I will do your makeup. I was thinking for your hair I would put it in some loose curls."

I nodded.

"That sounds fabulous Liss," I told her as I walked into her bathroom and began to change.

Once Lissa had finished with me I had to admit I looked amazing. I started to think about what Dimitri would think if he were here. I knew he would have liked it and I would be sure to remind someone to take lots of pictures so that he could see if I ever got him back.

"Lissa you are an artist." I told her as we started to head towards the auditorium for the second time today.

"Thanks Rose but everything looks good with beauty right?" She chuckled while I punched her playfully in the arm.

"Rose," Abe stopped us before we reached the auditorium. "I have to say that I am the luckiest father in the world to have such a great daughter like you."

"Only the best for the best right dad?" I grinned at him while he smiled back.

"We got you something." My mother told me as she reached into her pocked and produced a long thin blue box.

"It definitely suits you," my mother told me as she leaned back against my father.

"We picked it out together," Abe added while he started to hold my mother's hand. We're they back together? I would have to ask it about it later. I could feel that Lissa was thinking the same thing across the bond so I told her that I had no idea what was going on.

"Well aren't you going to open it?" My dad insisted.

I opened the top of the box and looked inside. I had been kind of hesitant to open it, after all would they really get me something from Tiffany's? Although once I saw what was inside I knew that I couldn't have asked for anything more. In the box was a shiny silver stake with a bunch of symbols engraved over the handle with vines wrapping around them.

"Thanks guys," I said lost for words. "It's glorious."

"It's Turkish," my father explained. "It says 'Courage, above all things, is the first quality of a warrior.'"

"Of course you have way more than courage Rose," my mother added. "You are smart, beautiful, strong and funny. We just thought that courage was your first trait. Especially considering how much you have been through lately."

"I don't know what to say."

It was true; It was enough that they had gotten me my _own stake _but to have it engraved must have cost a fortune.

"Well anyways I suppose me and Lissa should get going. The ceremony starts soon."

"Alright Rose we will be watching," my mother told me and I swear she even cracked a smile.

"Thanks Mom thanks Dad," I yelled over my shoulder as Lissa and I started to walk towards the auditorium.

"Wait! Mom!" I ran back towards her while my mother, father and Lissa all gave me curious looks.

"I have to ask you something." I told her. I looked over my shoulder to see my father listening in.

"Not _you," _I pushed him away. "I will see you again later but this is private."

Once my father was out of earshot I asked her.

"Are you two?" I waved my finger in the air in circles.

"Are we what Rose?"

"You know ... back together?"

My mother sighed. "I suppose you could call it that."

"I'm so happy for you mom!"

"It's no big deal," she shrugged off but I could see the real gleam in her eyes.

"Right..." I said as I started to run back towards Lissa.

* * *

As I heard my name being called my Alberta I walked onto the stage determinedly.

Once I reached Alberta she announced "Rose Hathaway I now pronounce you a guardian."

"Do you accept the commitment to being Vasilisa Dragomir's guardian?"

"I do." And once I said those two worlds I gleamed with pride. I had done it! I hadn't realized until that second that I had been so worried that maybe they had decided that I wasn't good enough for Lissa but as she announced that my world was complete. I looked out into the crowd and I saw Lissa smiling with a huge grin on her face. My mother was sobbing with pride– the first time in my life I had _ever _seen her cry in her life and I saw that Adrian, Christian and my father were all wearing that same proud smile.

I walked over towards Lionel to get my promise mark tattooed onto the back of my neck, next to the rest of my molnija marks. On most- okay all other guardians they have their promise mark and then all of their molnija marks but my neck was unique. It had 9 molnija marks and a battle star and then finally my promise mark which confirmed that I was a guardian.

This ceremony took much longer than the moroi's since all of the newly confirmed guardians had to get their promise mark tattooed onto their necks. Once the ceremony was over all of the guardians threw off their hats like the traditional thing to do but it wasn't as excited as the moroi's own hat throwing had been. From now on we were guardians and all guardians had to keep their composure and emotions in tact at all times. It was a good thing that Dimitri had been so committed to the stupid zen lessons because I knew that I was going to have a hard time with that; even with my extra practice.

As soon as I climbed down off of the stage I took off the ugly blood red gown. Why couldn't we just wear our own things to graduation? Although once I took it off I truly looked fabulous in Lissa's ensemble. Lissa had me in her embrace the minute I saw her.

"Rose! Oh my god this is going to be so great!" She squealed. And it would be- until we had to go and find Robert Doru. My father had told me that he could get plane tickets for us whenever we needed them so we would be going to court in a week just to meet up with the queen and then we would be off for Russia. I felt sort of bad for taking away Lissa's college experience but we didn't have any time to waste. Who knew when Dimitri would be back for me?

I quickly scanned the room for Eddie once I had talked to my mother and father. They would be leaving in an hour as everyone would be moving out to start their new lives tomorrow anyways. Besides did I really want to hang out with my parents when I could be going to a fabulous after party? No I wasn't sure I did.

"Eddie," I hissed in his ear. "As soon as your done with your parents would you mind meeting up with me?"

"Oh yeah. No problem Rose." He whispered back. He knew that I had something very important to tell him so he then asked his mother to excuse him for a moment. We walked all the way to my dorm; no one could hear us in there and then he finally asked me.

"Alright Rose what are you so tense about?"

"Well not exactly tense just I should have told you a few days ago."

"Okay ... where are you going with this?"

I took a deep breath. Surely telling Eddie wouldn't be as bad as telling Lissa or Christian or Adrian could it be? After all Eddie had become one of my best friends and he was _way _more in check with his emotions then them.

"Okay," I sighed. "You see first of all I wanted to say congrats!" Eddie had been assigned to be Adrian's guardian and even though they weren't on the best of terms; let's just say that Eddie didn't like Adrian treating everyone like they were under him they got along okay. Plus it would be fabulous if Eddie agreed to come with us to Russia.

"And second of all well ?WellIdidn't-"

"Slow down Rose!" He whistled. "Take your time."

"Okay right. Well remember when I was in Russia last year how I met another spirit user?" Eddie had already known this so he nodded.

"Well you see she told me that it was possible for a strigoi to reverse itself. And you know how I missed the first time I tried to kill Dimitri? Well would you believe it possible that I missed again?" I left out the part that I hadn't even tried the second time, well third really but he didn't know about the first time I met Dimitri. As part of him being a guardian he would definitely look down on me with shame if he knew that I hadn't even had the guts to try.

"Oh my god Rose. I don't know what to say."

I whimpered.

"Wait a minute though what are you talking about the part with the spirit user?"

"Only one person knows how to do it," I claimed. "And I am going to hunt them down.

"Who?

"Victor Dashkov's brother."

"No way Rose do you even know how dangerous that could be? Not alone anyways how you would be able to find him?"

"But Eddie I have to do this whether you come with me or not." I knew how hard it was for Eddie to accept that I had loved Dimitri and not Mason despite mine and Mason's attempt at a relationship before he had been ... murdered. I winced thinking about our time in Spokane. That had been a hard time for everyone.

"What about Lissa?" He breathed.

"She knows and is coming, Christian and Adrian too."

"No way Rose I can't let you take Adrian with you."

"Look I don't want any of them to come with me. I think it's too dangerous but I made a promise to Lissa that I would take her with me the next time I did something crazy and she wouldn't go without Christian so then I just decided the hell with it I will tell everyone."

"I suppose you don't include me a part of everyone." Eddie's face hardened.

"Eddie! How could you think that?! Of course I do, it's just I haven't seen you in days." Eddies expression remained doubtful. "Look remember when I asked you earlier about where you had been this past week?" Eddie nodded. "_That _was the reason I wanted to know why!"

"Ugh!" I groaned. "Why can't you believe me. Anyways are you coming with me or not?"

"I suppose I will have to since Adrian is now my priority." He confirmed with his guardian expression hard over his face but I could see the gleam in his eyes.

"You do realize that you could get reassigned if you wanted to." I punched him playfully in the arm.

"Yeah but I _don't _want to." He smiled down at me. "My first real adventure where I'm not drugged, bring it on!"

"Congrats!" I told him sarcastically. "Anyways I have to go find Lissa the party is in a few hours and I _know _that she had another outfit picked out for me." I laughed. "Remember when I used to be excited about this kind of thing?" I asked hypothetically but he nodded anyways.

"It just seems so long ago."

"That's for sure everything was so different seven months ago." Eddie was now thinking about far away events; as was I but totally different things all the same. Seven months ago Mason was alive, seven months ago Dimitri was a dhampir.

**I just wanted to add that I got the quote on her stake from: **

**www (dot) brainquotes (dot) com  
**

**It's not my quote.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! This chapter is a little shorter than normal but I hope you enjoy!**

**I adore reading your reviews so keep them coming!**

**-Catherine  
**

I woke up to feel my head pounding inside my skull. My memories quickly flooded back to me. Oh the dancing and the drinking from the night before. But then I realized that these weren't my memories that were flooding before my eyes – or even the pain itself I realized; it was Lissa's.

_Make it go away._ I thought to nobody in particular while I rolled over and into my pillow and groaned.

_Sorry Rose, _Lissa thought towards me. I hadn't realized that the bond had been very welcoming at that moment-to both sides.

_It's okay Liss. It's not your fault._

_Well it kind of is. You're not the one who drank so much._

_I suppose,_ I shrugged. It hadn't obviously been my fault but then again I never drank. Not after that horrible party a few years ago with Greg Dashkov and Wade... I quickly shook away the horrible thoughts before they could poison my brain.

_Anyways do you need anything Liss? Painkillers? Food? _I asked anxiously.

_No Rose I'm fine. Seriously. I'll be up soon and then we can leave for court._

_Are you sure Liss? We could postpone it for tomorrow._

_No I have a meeting with the queen set for tomorrow and if there is one thing I learnt while you were away is to not upset her._

_Haha well she can be a bitch but I could definitely deal with her if I had too... _I let my thought trail off. _I actually wouldn't mind._

Lissa chuckled mentally.

_Go get ready Rose I'll be up soon._

I hopped out of bed and put up my barriers putting away all of my most prized possessions into boxes. There were really only a couple of things I would be taking to court, after all most of it was meaningless ; just lots of clothes that I had collected over the years and makeup. It wasn't that I wanted to get rid of that stuff it was just that it wasn't necessary. What _was_ necessary was my memories and I had all of those up in my head but I decided that I would take a few things just as peaceful reminders.

I shuffled through my desk drawers pulling out old and new photo's of my friends. For the most part it was Lissa and I and a few others. Every so often I would come across a picture of Mason and me before he had died and then once everything else was gone or packed away I saw that one picture I had of Dimitri and me. He was looking up at the camera sporting one of his rare laid back smiles with his arm around my waist. His deep brown eyes were shining and his long dark hair carefully framed his face. He looked like a Russian god. He looked like the man I fell in love with.

I let a silent tear escape the corner of my eye and trail down the side of my face. Why did the stupid strigois have to attack? Why did I have to come up with a way to help the kidnapped escape? I knew that I was being selfish, willing to kill thirteen innocent people for my one true love but I knew that I would do it if I could go back in time and I felt suddenly guilty. Well no point in wishing on the past I would just have to hope for the future, after all I had a fair shot at getting him back at this point and I was not going to give up.

I pulled my long brown hair back into a pony tail and pulled on some shorts and a tank top quickly. I slipped on my flip flops and then just as I was turning off the lights I slipped back inside and grabbed my new silver stake. Just in case, I thought. I ran towards the church and saw father Andrew inside the church cleaning like always on Sunday. I would know from experience. I smirked; remembering mine and Dimitri's volunteer time together there. Well for me it hadn't really been volunteer time but more so detention. It had turned out to be one of the best detentions of my life and trust me I've had a lot of experience with _that. _

"Hello father Andrew," I said quietly approaching him.

"Oh hi Rose, I haven't seen you in a while."

"Yeah I've been busy."

"Too busy for God?" He asked me doubtfully.

"Well I've had a lot on my mind besides this wasn't what I wanted to talk about."

"What did you want to talk about then Rose?"

"I was wondering if you had ever heard of a strigoi reversing back to its original state?" I knew that he probably hadn't, besides there was only a few people that I knew of that knew about it and we weren't even completely sure if it was true or not.

"I can't say I have Rose," he told me giving me a dull look. "Although I wouldn't lose hope," he added.

"I may not have seen this miracle before but I _have _seen other miracles in my existence so why can't there be another one?"

"Thanks father Andrew."

He just smiled at me. Then I realized how much I respected Father Andrew. He might be a little old and a little crazy for god but he was good to the core. In the end I decided to help him out with cleaning out the church until it was time to leave. I knew it wasn't a great way to spend my first morning as a guardian but I couldn't face talking to any of my friend's and knowing that all we would talk about would be our plans for our trip to Russia. I just wanted to spend it relaxing and reminding myself that even if my world was turned upside down the world was not pure evil. Once we were nearly finished I realized that the night was slowly becoming lighter and lighter and I knew that if we wanted to reach Court by tomorrow we would have to leave soon. As I started to walk out the door he started to speak again.

"Never lose faith Rose." I just smiled at him.

* * *

"Lissa," I pleaded. "Come on we have to go now!"

"I'm coming!" she shouted from behind the door.

"You know that I know that you're not so why don't you just open the door?" I asked her.

She opened the door for me to find Lissa standing there looking as lovely as always.

"Well you look ready." I grinned at her.

"I _am," _she insisted. "I just have to bring the boxes down to the plane."

"Okay, how many do you have?"

"Five," she answered nodding her head in the direction of the five huge brown boxes behind her.

I sighed. "Why didn't you just pack the whole school?" I asked her sarcastically while I piled four of the boxes on top of each other. They were relatively light for their size although the stack I was carrying had to be at least twice the size of me.

"Can you get the last one?" I asked Lissa as I started to walk out the door. She bent down and grunted once she got the whole impact of the weight. It wasn't heavy to me even though I was carrying four times as much as her.

We walked in silence all the way to the plane where we found Christian, Adrian and Eddie talking with two other guardians. I wondered why they were taking so little guardians with them; after all they were three royals but then I realized that I and Eddie added to their numbers; we were now officially guardians as well.

"Hey guys!" I yelled when we were about five meters away. "You don't think that you could make yourself useful and help us load these boxes do you?"

Adrian chuckled at my reluctance to go any farther.

"You made it this far why don't you just continue the rest of the way?" He asked me.

"Oh just come on!" I begged. Eddie and Christian started to walk towards us but Adrian stayed where he was. Ass hole.

Eddie took two boxes off of my load while Christian took the box that Lissa was carrying. I was grateful; moroi were fragile but Lissa was especially.

Once we had the entire luggage on the plane we all boarded the plane. I groaned would the ghosts come back? I hoped with my entire being that they didn't. We had decided to split the shifts between the four guardians. I would guard the first three hours with a young man named Kevin Smith while Eddie would guard for the remaining three hours with an older guardian named Arnold Nazal although he insisted we call him Arnie.

As soon as we were up in the air my head exploded. Ghosts blurred my vision and attacked my mind but I did my best to fight them off. I could do this. I had been using up all of my energy fighting off the ghosts that I didn't have any energy left to hide this pain from Lissa.

"Rose," she pleaded. "Just let me make you go asleep."

"No I'm fine Liss," I insisted.

Lissa seemed to take my statement to the heart because she did not insist like her usual self. After a few more minutes alone in my head with the pain though and I started to admit defeat. At first it was only a small groan but then my knees buckled from under me. I couldn't take the pain anymore. I grabbed my head in my hands and tried to smother the ghosts like you put out a fire. Why did they always have to do this?! I was soon surrounded by blackness though and I was happy that all of the pain was gone.

"Hello my little dhampir." I heard from my left as suddenly the blackness changed to a nice beach. I looked around to find Adrian leaning against a palm tree.

"Thanks Adrian," I told him.

"Anytime," he grinned.

"Um, Adrian shouldn't you let me go I mean I have to perform my guardian duties..."

"Relax," he told me and I did. "Eddie will take your watch."

"He doesn't have to do that." I protested.

"He wants to, and of us would it's not worth seeing anyone suffer like that Rose. Especially you. "

Adrian took a deep breath. "I made you come here for a reason."

"Really? I hadn't noticed I thought you just took me here so that I could see a beach," I remarked sarcastically.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Congrats!"

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"You wanted to talk to me right? Well isn't that exactly what you're doing right now."

He chuckled.

"I wanted to know what you think we should tell my aunt. You know about us."

I laughed so hard that before I knew it I was crying.

"Adrian," I choked in between tears of laughter. "You have got to be joking."

He just grinned.

"Yeah I am. But seriously we could be good together, I mean I make you laugh don't I?"

"You do make me laugh Adrian but you know that I'm not ready for that..."

"You promised to give me a chance," he reminded me.

"I did." I said flatly. "But your assignment was your chance."

"No Rose that was my chance to prove myself to you. Not my chance with you." He said in a deep husky voice as he started to walk towards me and wrap me in his arms.

"Adrian," I protested. "I'm not ready."

Adrian continued though and I couldn't do anything about it; this was his fantasy world not mine and I did not possess all of my kick ass abilities that I had in reality. Here I was just like a tiny mouse waiting at the cave of the lion.

"Adrian stop now or send me back to the ghosts." I told him. "I don't want this and you are just making a fool of yourself?"

"Am I?"

"Yes you are now let me go." I told him firmly

Adrian let me go and as soon as he did the world that surrounded me faded to blackness once again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! I am a little bit behind on my writing but I am working hard to keep it on a regular basis.**

**Hopefully I will have another chapter for you later on today!**

**Anyways thanks for all the reviews I really appreciate them all!**

**-Catherine  
**

Once I awoke I was no longer on the plane. In fact I was in a bed. A luxurious bed I might add. It was a huge sleigh bed with a duvet and gold comforter on top. It looked like it was made for a princess and then I realized where I was. I was at the Royal Court. So of course it would make sense for me to be in such a big bed.

I relaxed my own emotions and thoughts until finally I was inside Lissa's head. She was in the shower and was getting ready for her meeting with the queen at 1:00 AM. I quickly jumped out of bed and searched for a clock I needed to see what time it was. After all I needed to come with her to this meeting. Once I found one I sighed in relief it was only 9:00 PM I had eons of time. I rolled over and counted backwards in my head. If it was 9:00 PM and Adrian had put me asleep just a few minutes after we left the Academy that would mean that I had been asleep for fifteen hours. I hadn't realized that Adrian had put me asleep for so long.

I jumped out of bed and got in the shower just as Lissa was doing herself. Once I had finished I took out my guardian uniform that Dimitri had given me. I had only used it once before-when I had been here for Victor's trial and it still fit perfectly. I put my new silver stake that my parents had given me in the belt. It was especially made for guardians so that their stakes fit in their but you could never tell if someone had one with them or not.

I straitened my hair quickly and then pulled it up in a pony tail remembering the conversation Dimitri and I had had months before. I remembered him taking a strand of my hair and feeling the tension and electricity vibrate between us. He had told me to wear it up and that was exactly what I was going to do.

* * *

As Lissa and I walked into the queen's office I was extremely tense. I hadn't seen queen bitch herself in a while but the last time I had seen her she had made it perfectly clear that she disliked me. Surprisingly I did not kill her from the first instant I saw her but I knew that that could change in an instant if she did anything to upset Lissa. I didn't know the reason behind this meeting as Lissa had refused to tell me and had constantly shielded her thoughts away from me each time I tried to poke and prod and I entertained myself with the knowledge that soon I would find out the big secret behind this meeting.

"Good morning Vasilisa," Queen Tatiana greeted her as Lissa and I walked into her office.

She nodded in acknowledgment to me but did not refer to me otherwise. I took that as my cue to go stand next to the other guardians on watch in the office.

"Hello Queen Tatiana," Lissa bowed in politeness but I knew that Lissa did not like the Queen much more than I did. She had not completely forgiven the queen for embarrassing Lissa a few months earlier although Lissa hid her dismay well.

"First of all I would like to say congratulations Vasilisa!" Queen Tatiana exclaimed clapping her hands. "You are now a legal moroi."

Lissa nodded.

"And how is your relationship with going?"

I knew from her tone of voice that she definitely did not care about Lissa's and Christian's relationship. In fact I would think that she was checking to see if I was true to my word, or maybe to see if Lissa and Adrian were together yet. Of course I knew that that was never going to happen between Lissa and Adrian. Neither of them liked each other in that way so why on earth would it ever happen? Of course even if they were compatible Lissa and Christian were head over heels for each other. They were meant to be nothing could ever change that.

Thankfully Lissa had heard my mental pondering and had decided to agree with me. Hiding her relationship with Christian would be the best possibility at the moment. Besides as far as the queen knew Christian and Lissa were still fighting about what happened when Lissa, Jill and Avery had come to court.

"We are still fighting," Lissa sighed falsely. "I think I am starting to give up on him."

"Really?" The queen said with mock surprise.

"Because last I heard was that you and Christian were all over each other at graduation."

_Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!_

How could the queen do this to Lissa?! Have people spy on her at graduation so that she could have juice on her. I tensed it seemed that Queen bitch wasn't only my personal hell.

"Don't lie to me Vasilisa. Are you and still in a relationship?"

Lissa sighed defeated. _PRETEND THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT! _I ordered Lissa as loud as I thought possible that a mental shout could become, but Lissa had already started to give in.

"Yes your majesty." Lissa bowed her head in shame.

"Ahh I see," nodded the queen. "It is nothing to be ashamed of Vasilisa if you care about each other. I know that young Ozera may not have the best reputation but you can't help your feelings Lissa."

I could see the gleam in Lissa's eyes from where I stood and I could feel her contentment bouncing all over the walls.

_She's playing you Lissa!_

"Really?" Lissa asked hopefully. "You're okay with it?"

"Of course I am child!" queen Tatiana exclaimed. "Besides what does my opinion matter? It's your life."

"Well it's just that I always thought of you as a second mother and I didn't know what you would think and ..." Lissa looked up at her from underneath her long eyelashes.

"Vasilisa, don't you worry. I accept of all of your choices." I could tell now that Lissa and Queen Tatiana had locked their eyes. I breathed in a big gulp of air. No way Lissa wouldn't use compulsion on the queen, would she? I wasn't sure that she wouldn't now that I thought about it. She had been known to do it before. Although Lissa was being careful; she was not making the queen agree to anything to extravagant. Lissa was making it look like the queen was using her usual manner; that she accepted it now and then used it against you later. Little did the rest of the guardians in the room or Priscilla know that Queen Tatiana would not be using this information against anyone later.

"Thank you your majesty. I just have one more thing I need to ask you."

"Yes, Vasilisa?"

"Well Rose and I along with Adrian and Edward Castile will be going on a trip soon and I was wondering if there was anything you needed me to do anything before we left?" Lissa asked successfully keeping the subject off of Christian. She wasn't lying just not telling the entire truth, it was different.

"How long will you be going?" asked the Queen curiously.

"We're not sure yet. It is sort of an extended vacation."

"Oh I see well have a darling trip, won't you? I don't have much anything serious going on but I will find a way to contact you if needed."

"Thank you your majesty."

Lissa made the queen nod seriously as we walked out together me by her side I breathed in relief.

_Oh my god Lissa!_ I screamed at her mentally not trusting my real voice in case other people were listening in.

Once we were outside we both doubled over in laughter.

"I can't believe you did that!" I choked out in between fits of laughter.

"Well it was necessary wasn't it?"

"I suppose but why didn't you tell me?"

"Be serious Rose if I told you, you know that you would have found a way to stop me from using compulsion."

I considered that for a moment and remembered how I'd felt in there when I realized what she had been doing.

I shrugged. "I suppose I would have tried."

"You _know _that you would have," she insisted.

"Okay yeah..."

"Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just didn't you?" I grinned at her but I nodded.

"Why don't you cut your hair."

I sighed. I had been thinking about the same thing earlier this morning but how on earth was I suppose to explain to Lissa how something so small meant so much to me.

"It's a long story," I shrugged.

"Oh okay."

"It's not that I don't trust you Liss it's just that well I will tell you a bit later on."

"Oh, thanks Rose." Lissa turned her head towards me and gave me a truly dazzling smile.

"Anyways I should tell Abe that we want plane tickets for tomorrow now that we have everything settled. That actually took a lot less time than I thought."

Lissa rolled her eyes at me.

"I wonder why ... I mean no way could Lissa have anything to do with it," I said sarcastically.

"Oh shut up," she grinned at me as I walked off towards my own small apartment.

On my way to my apartment that I lived in on my days off of guardian duties I lived there. It was where I had woken up that morning. As I walked off towards it I saw Ambrose working in a small coffee shop, it was actually the shop that Mia's dad owned.

"Hey Ambrose," I greeted him friendly as I passed.

"Oh hey Rose," he said looking up from his work. "How have you been?"

"Eh so-so. I suppose life could be worse." Not my much though I muttered under my breath.

"Maybe the cards will help clear things up for you?" He asked optimistically.

"I don't know your aunt's last prediction came true and it didn't look too great for me."

"No why not?"

"Dimitri's prediction came true." I told him breathlessly.

"Ohh," he said all-knowing. "You know what happened?" I asked him doubtfully.

"I thought I did but seeing as your still here..."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well the way he looked at you I always suspected that you two were an item. I guess I was wrong though. So who did he lose?"

"Himself." I answered dully.

"So you were an item?"

I nodded, why did it matter it's not like it was illegal and I was out of school now. We were going to announce it anyways.

"He died." Ambrose announced, not a question; just a statement.

"No," I corrected him. "He lost his soul."

"Oh my," Ambrose inhaled a quick breath.

"Yeah," I said to him. "He's gone forever ... maybe."

"What was that?" Ambrose asked. I swear to god this guy didn't miss a thing.

"Nothing," I muttered.

"Come on Rose one prediction won't hurt. Besides it doesn't look like you have anything better to do."

I sighed. "Okay Ambrose one prediction but if my life turns out any worse I'm blaming you."

He chuckled.

"Come on Rose," he led me to the small red room which was covered in red pillows.

"Ahh hello Rose," Ronda greeted me in her mysterious voice as I walked in with Ambrose.

"I didn't expect to ever see you here again."

"Ambrose convinced me," I grinned.

She nodded.

"Well let's see what's in store for you today, shall we?"

I inhaled a quick breath and nodded.

Rhonda shuffled the cards quickly and told me to cut. She then place three cards face up before me.

The first card had a pot of gold and a rainbow on it.

"I will come into riches?" I guessed.

"Possibly," Rhonda answered. "Although the more accurate prediction would be that you will find what you are looking for." I nodded that couldn't be so bad could it? I moved onto the next card to see a moon and a sun covering one another; an eclipse.

"This is a tricky one," Rhonda sighed and closed her eyes. "You will face your opposite and he or she will become your equal." That one could be a long list of things and I didn't like the possibilities that I was thinking of. My opposite and then my equal. I could think of a few things that were my opposite – and one way to make them my equal or I theirs. My eyes traveled to the final card. It had a compass on it that was pointing north.

"You are on the right track," Rhonda breathed. "Don't give up yet."

I looked down at the three cards in front of me. All in all it wasn't _that _bad of a reading. The second card was the only one that bothered me. In my mind my one and only enemy is a strigoi and in order to become their equal ... I shuddered away the thought. No that would not happen. I could not let it happen, _but it will_ a tiny voice in my head said. I slumped my shoulders so much for cheering me up. Instead of focusing on the negative though I focused on the good of the future. I would find what I was looking for okay that was good news, and if I was on the right track that must mean something good, right?

I started to turn back towards my apartment but instead I went right back inside to talk to Rhonda.

"You were right," I claimed.

"I wasn't right child," she replied.

"Um yes you were-" I started to say. How could she know if she was right or wrong? It's not like she had seen my whole life.

"No I wasn't right the cards were right," she explained. Crazy lady. I was starting to doubt that it was a good idea for me to come and talk to her at all.

"But what happened that the cards predicted?" I thought about that for a second. Before coming here I had always thought that the only thing she had been right about was Dimitri's fortune but now being in the same room I had been when she had told me my first fortune I remembered that she had been right about my other fortune too. Although I had always known she would be, after all I would go and kill lots of strigoi and go on an adventure obviously. But my fortune had been truer than I had ever thought possible.

Instead of explaining every little thing that she had been right about I just met her eyes.

"Everything," I stated while I walked out the door.


	10. Chapter 10

**This chapter starts off slow guys but I promise it gets better!**

**If I were you I would just skip to the ending haha!**

**Anyways I hope you enjoy, I loved writing the ending of this chapter!**

**I love reading your reviews guys so remember to review! : D**

**-Catherine  
**

"Rose, Rose! Wake up!" I felt a small nudge into my rib cage. "Go away," I moaned. "Rose is sleeping."

"Rose, we're in Russia! And since no one knows anyone here but you I expect that you are going to be the one to introduce us."

"I'll introduce you later," I promised. "Now let me sleep."

"I didn't want to have to do," Lissa sighed. But that was the last I heard of her. I shut my eyes tight in my attempt to get back to sleep. Soon Lissa's voice surrounded me again.

"Open your eyes Rose," Lissa commanded.

"No," I said stubbornly shutting my eyelids even closer together. "I'm tired..."

"Fine Rose but you asked for it." I suddenly began to feel cold water dripping onto my head.

"Liss!" My eyes popped open automatically to see Lissa standing there with a glass of water in her hand. "You wouldn't dare ..."

"Want to push it?" Lissa raised one eyebrow at me.

"No," I groaned. "Fine let's go." Lissa stopped dripping the water onto my head as soon as I was up. Eddie had most of the luggage by himself along with Christian so I went over to try and help although there was not very much luggage there. Lissa had reluctantly kept her five boxes at Court and had only brought her small suitcase filled with her needs. I had brought my own suitcase that was if possible smaller than Lissa's, I had thrown away a lot of my stuff to begin with and I did not feel the need for bringing anything unnecessary.

I picked up mine and Lissa's suitcases and I went to walk over to Lissa.

"Who's picking us up?" Lissa asked curiously.

"A client of Abe's will be picking us up." I told her. I had no idea who was picking us up, what they looked like or anything. Abe had only told me to 'count on him' and that I would know who to go to. What the hell? I had thought at the time but questioning my father was just something you didn't do.

Just then out of the corner of my eye I saw Sydney looking around awkwardly. This probably wasn't her favorite thing to do in the world; after all she referred to all of us -moroi, dhampirs and strigoi alike- as evil, just some more evil than the others. I smiled and shook my head. I waved to Sydney to get her attention and then I gestured for Eddie, Christian and Adrian to follow me.

"Come on Lissa. She's picking us up," I pointed at Sydney and then I dragged Lissa on behind me.

"Hey," I said when we reached her.

"Oh hi," Sydney said awkwardly. She studied Lissa up and down and I knew that she was making accusations.

"Anyways Lissa this is Sydney. Sydney Lissa."

Just then we were joined by Eddie, Christian and Adrian.

"And this is Eddie, Christian and Adrian," I said nodding to each of them.

"Okay," Sydney said. "We should get going if you want to make it to Russia by sun-up; my truck doesn't have tinted windows."

Well that was nice, I thought oddly. It wasn't like Sydney to be well polite to evil demons. I chuckled silently to myself as we made our way to Sydney's car. I didn't know if it was the red hurricane or not but I hoped that Abe had let her keep it. Even if I couldn't understand Sydney's love for the car it was very easy to tell that she adored it.

As soon as we were out in the parking lot of the Russian airport I saw the red hurricane parked by the curb. I grinned, "They let you keep it?"

"Well obviously," Sydney smirked back just a tiny ounce of her sarcastic humor in the remark. I sort of felt that if Sydney didn't hate everything about me that we could have been friends. We all climbed into the truck although it was a tight squeeze with the six of us. Adrian, Sydney and I sat in the front – me sitting on the arm rest while Christian, Eddie and Lissa sat in the back. I felt Lissa's discomfort in being with Sydney; usually everyone warmed to Lissa easily and she was not used to this strange coldness.

Everyone was quiet for the first fifteen or twenty minutes and then Adrian decided to speak.

"So what do you do Sydney?" He grinned and I knew that he was planning on flirting with her the entire grin. I laughed silently to myself; I knew that Sydney would probably end up slapping him. The car jostled for a few minutes while Sydney sat silently not answering.

"I'm an alchemist," she said finally.

"Ahh Rose told me about you." Adrian said fake fascination smothered his voice. "She said that you were nice but I'm pretty sure that she held back a bit. I think you're a little better than nice ... Anyways I think that you're job is cool."

"Excuse me but I don't flirt with evil demons. Sorry." Sydney replied abruptly.

"And even if your existence wasn't against the laws of nature I would _never _like you." She continued.

Adrian was shocked; I could feel it even if he kept his facial features flawless. He wasn't used to being rejected by anyone but me.

"Well we will have to see about that." Adrian said quietly.

"No actually _we_ will not see. I came here as a favor to Rose and my boss but as soon as you are safely with Olena I am going back to my next mission and as far away from you as possible."

I could feel Lissa's shock in the back seat.

_She sure is something isn't she? _I asked Lissa silently.

_It's amazing. _Lissa agreed. _She's just like you._

_Really, you think so? _I shrugged, besides the occasional sarcastic remark I couldn't find any similarities between Sydney and I. The rest of the drive was silent, I'm pretty sure that no one was comfortable with each other even me. I looked out at the familiar urban land of Siberia. It was so pretty, I sighed remembering when Dimitri and me had talked about his home land. I remembered the shine and excitement in his eyes when he laughed that easy going laugh when I had said that it was like the arctic.

I would find out soon how –and if- I could save him. Only a few more hours Rose, you can do this I thought silently to myself. Once we arrived at Olena's house we were all welcomed warmly. Even though Abe had pulled through and booked rooms for each of us at the nearest hotel Olena insisted that we spend the first night with her. Once we arrived safely Sydney spent no time in hurrying back towards central Russia before she left though I was sure to have a quick word with her.

"Sydney?" I asked her quietly while the rest of the group talked to Dimitri's family.

"Yeah Rose?" She said uneasily.

"I'm really glad you came today," I smiled warmly at her. It was true it was nice to see Sydney even if she hadn't changed much since the last time I saw her.

Sydney sighed. "Truth be told so am I Rose. It was nice to see you again."

She studied me for a moment.

"You haven't changed much," she said quietly.

"You would be surprised," I chuckled remembering how much I _had _changed since a few months ago. So much had changed.

"There was something else I wanted to tell you," I told her quietly.

"Yeah?" she replied.

"I'm sorry Adrian is such an ass."

Sydney shook her head.

"I don't know what to think; he really is something isn't he?"

"Yep," I agreed popping the 'p'. "But no one will be able to change that; it's just his nature."

Sydney chuckled; a rare sound for her.

"Don't worry about it Rose, he's not _that _bad."

"Are you kidding me?" I started at her with mock horror. "He's horrible!"

We both laughed at that.

"Yeah he sort of is. Anyways Rose I suppose I should go I have another job to do."

"Okay Sydney it was nice to catch up with you."

She nodded and grabbed her jacket and slipped on her shoes. Sydney opened the door and started to leave but then she turned back around.

"Rose?" She jogged back up to the porch where I was standing.

"Mhm" I murmured.

"I hope you reach whatever you're looking for and ... be safe."

"Oh thanks Sydney," I pulled her in for a tight embrace. "I'll see you soon," I promised while she nodded and drove away.

* * *

"Rose? Rose? Earth to Rose," Viktoria had been trying to claim my attention and was waving a hand in front of my face.

"Oh sorry what did you say?"

"I said that I'm so sorry about what I told you before you left." She looked down at her feet in shame.

"Viktoria it's really okay," I said for about the billionth time that night. It was after supper and I was sitting on Dimitri's old bed when she came into the doorway.

She looked doubtful so I added "Really? Why don't you come sit down?"

Viktoria considered this for a moment and then came to sit down by me.

"Rose, why are you here?" She asked me.

"It's a long story," I sighed.

Viktoria raised one eyebrow at me exactly like Dimitri used to do. It must have been a family trait.

"Please tell me Rose!"

"No I can't involve you with this Viktoria. One day when you're a little bit older I will tell you but not now."

Viktoria pouted and pleaded with me but I kept my voice firm.

"Anyways what's going on with school and your friends?" I said to keep the focus off of me.

"Well, after Rolan left, me and Nikolai became becoming even better friends and ..."

"Tell me all about it!" I said enthusiastically; I wasn't even faking the enthusiasm in my voice I really wanted to know. I always hoped that Nikolai and Viktoria would get together he was a good guy and Viktoria deserved someone nice.

Viktoria filled me in on what were becoming of their relationship with Nikolai and her other friends at school. It was a nice break to just sit there and not worry about my own life at the moment. After a while Viktoria started to yawn and I told her to go to bed and that I would be here in the morning. As soon as she left my happiness went with her and I realized that tomorrow all of my hopes would either summit or plummet. Tomorrow I would find out where Victor Dashkov was - possibly. I closed my eyes and let sleep take me smothering my face in Dimitri's pillows.

* * *

Dimitri came towards me and kissed me "I love you Roza," he told me.

"I love you too Dimitri, always have and always will." I let a silent tear trail down my lonesome cheek.

"I miss you," I sighed breathing in the familiar smell of his aftershave.

"I miss you to Roza," He smiled down at me while I looked up into his beautiful brown eyes that I missed so much.

"Dimitri, is this a dream?" I asked him curiously.

"I suppose in its own way but as you see I am covered in light?"

I nodded.

"Well that's because you are talking to my soul, the pure me."

"Y-y-your soul?" I stuttered.

"Yes, my soul is captured and locked up. I can't reach anyone- accept for you."

"Why is that Dimitri?"

"I think it's because your shadow- kissed Roza. I actually lied a little bit I can see others this guy named Mark that I knew from my home village actually as well as a few others."

"Mark!" I jumped excitedly.

"You know him?" He raised one eyebrow at me like Viktoria had the night before but his was wonderful.

"Yeah I'm in Baia right now Dimitri, I was here a few months ago to so that I could try and kill you but I couldn't do it."

"I figured that out Rose," he laughed. "Otherwise I would be in heaven."

"But why are you in Baia?"

"Oh well actually it has to do with Mark's wife Oksana."

"Really?" He asked curiously.

"Dimitri do you have any idea what is happening to your strigoi self? ... or the world?" I added on as an afterthought.

"No Roza you are the only person in the outside world I can reach- I can't even see what's going on in the outside world. It is very difficult to reach you and I have been working on it constantly."

"Oh my Dimitri, I guess I have a lot to tell you."

He nodded.

"But now that I have this perfected I'm pretty sure that I will be able to do it regularly. Although it takes a lot out of me, I may not be able to do it again for a while," he told me.

My face saddened, although this was better than nothing right? I mean suddenly I was in contact with Dimitri again. The _real _Dimitri.

"But Dimitri how on earth did you protect me while you were in strigoi form if _you_ are right here?"

"Well I think that when I feel strongly about you a little tiny part of me comes in to my real body but it is rare."

"I noticed," I said glumly.

"How long is regularly?" I grinned.

"Oh Roza, I don't know but I will come as much as I can okay?"

I nodded.

"I guess that's all that I can ask for."

He then leaned down to kiss me and I wrapped my legs around him passionately. I buried my hands in his long brown silky hair and kissed him like I've never kissed before. The kiss started off sweetly after finding each other again for so long but then it intensified and we were both filled with love. He brought his own hands into my own hair - I knew how much he loved my hair and I sighed happily.

"I love you," I murmured against his lips.

"I love you too Roza," he murmured against my lips and then he started to fade.

"Wh-what's happening?" I asked scared.

"You're waking up." I frowned at his response; I didn't want to wake up.

"Wait Dimitri!" I yelled out to him. "I think that I can bring you back!"

He started to fade out of my sight and suddenly I was back in the real world again but I thought he heard me. I hoped so.

I opened my eyes and realized that I was smiling.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys I'm sorry that I didn't update yesterday; my internet was down. So I apologize for being late and that I don't have another chapter ready for today!**

**Sorry!**

**Anyways I'm sorry once and again and thanks for all your wonderful reviews! Keep them up!**

**-Catherine**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters (except the ones I create). Richelle Mead owns them.  
**

Once my eyes were open I realized that people were looking down at me anxiously.

"Lissa what's going on?" I asked her anxiously.

"I don't know Rose, you just like faded for a second."

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"I was just lying in bed and then your thoughts and emotions and _everything _just disappeared." She looked down at me worried.

"I was so worried so then I went to get Adrian to see if he could get into your dreams and he couldn't."

I looked behind Lissa to realize that everyone was there; Olena, Christian, Eddie, Adrian, Karolina, Sonya, Viktoria, Paul and ... Yeva.

"Yeva?" I asked her curiously.

"Yes," she smiled that fake innocence that she always seemed to be around her but I knew better; she was mischievous.

"Could you see me?"

"What?!" Lissa and Adrian half screamed in unison.

"Oh Yeva can see the future," I explained. Knowing glances passed between Adrian and Lissa but before they could say anything I cut them off.

"No, she's not a spirit user. She specialized in air," I exclaimed before Lissa and Adrian could make any accusations.

"Then how ... ?" Adrian was lost for words.

"She just has a gift," I shrugged. "But I'm sure that she could explain it to you if you asked her." Adrian cast a questionable look at Yeva and she nodded.

"It would be my pleasure," she said solemnly. "Anyways to answer your question Rose yes I could still see you," she smiled. "You were still in that golden light; I was never worried."

I smiled. "See guys nothing to be worried about."

"B-but Rose what happened?" Lissa stuttered.

"Well it's no big deal okay? Don't throw a fit or anything if I tell you." Everyone nodded so I continued.

"Anyways once I fell asleep I thought I was dreaming of Dimitri so I asked him but it turns out it wasn't a dream it was _him_."

Everyone gasped around me.

"Surely there is not a new strigoi power?" Olena said worriedly.

"No, no calm down okay?" Everyone nodded so I continued. "So anyways it wasn't strigoi Dimitri or anything it was his _soul._ He looked like he did before he was a strigoi and he said that his soul was locked away."

Olena gasped. "My poor Dimka," she cried into Karolina's shoulder.

"Yeah but he said that this is where all souls go when they turn strigoi they all get their own little room type thing and they don't know what is going on in the outside world or anything. It is pretty horrible," I agreed. "_But _they can still contact people who are shadow-kissed but it totally drains him. It is sort of like Adrian's dream walking I guess."

Olena suddenly looked up. "You mean his soul isn't lost?"

"Nope not lost just locked away," I told her.

"So how do we get it back?" Viktoria said hopefully.

"Well the only way known to free him is to kill the strigoi."

Everyone nodded in agreement – everyone already knew this.

"But well we think that we know this guy that knows how to reverse the strigoi effects," I smiled.

"What?!" screeched Viktoria. "No way really?" she grinned.

"Yeah that's why we came here," I told her.

"To kill him?" asked Olena. "Or save him?"

"Well we are hoping to save him. This is why we have to speak to Oksana, immediately." I let the urgency of the situation fill my tone.

The Belikovs' looked puzzled so I quickly let Yeva fill them in on Oksana's abilities of how to find people.

"Well I see why you wanted to get to Oksana's so badly last night," Olena said patiently while I grimaced.

"So can we go?" pleaded Lissa. I smiled to myself of course Lissa would assume that she could not go unless she had an okay – even if she was now an adult.

Rather than remind her of this I let Olena answer her.

"Absolutely." confirmed Olena.

* * *

Once we arrived at Mark and Oksana's I smiled and waved at them, they knew we were coming but had no idea why. I just hoped that they we would decide to help us. In the end only Lissa, Adrian, Yeva, Karolina and I had come to their house as we figured not everyone needed to overwhelm them.

"Hey Oksana, Mark!" I yelled as we approached them.

They smiled and waved us in.

"Hi Rose," Oksana smiled warmly at me and pulled me into a big hug, I then shook Mark's hand.

"It's so nice to see you again," I smiled at them and then I heard Adrian cough behind me.

"This is Adrian and Lissa," I said turning to face two of my best friends. "And of course you know Karolina and Yeva."

"Why don't you all come in and have a nice cup of tea," Oksana suggested. "Then we can discuss why you are here."

"Well, okay." I shrugged. I didn't want to waste any time with such formal things but I agreed out of courtesy. We all went inside and sat on their nice brown leather sofa and filled up their chairs while Oksana made tea.

"Mark," I said quietly to him. "Has anyone ever visited you in your dreams before?" I asked him curiously.

"Well of course Oksana has!" he said matter-of-factly "but that's not what you were referring to, was it?"

"Not exactly, no." I then recounted the story of what happened last night and like the rest he was lost for words although he still had a very strong opinion about this.

"Rose, you have to learn to block him out." He said quietly.

"What?!" I yelled at him. "No way will I do that Mark! Not after I've found him again!"

"But you have to Rose, what if this is like the ghosts? It could be bad for your health."

"But it's not bad! He doesn't hurt me and I have no headache and everything!" I countered.

Mark shrugged but I knew that he was still in disagreement with me. "I guess I can't argue with that but be careful," he warned.

I turned away from him furious. How could Mark have suggested that? It was unmentionable. Finally once Oksana had finished with the tea she sat down and joined us. I didn't tell her about what happened the night before I would tell her later or I thought that she already knew; after all she could pick information out of people's heads.

"Well Oksana, we've came here to ask a big favour. Actually it's something that you told me about a few months ago," Oksana listened patiently and nodded knowing what the exact thing she had told me was.

"Well you see I think I've found out a way to find where Victor is." I told her. The Russians didn't know much about what was happening in North America so I quickly told her about how Victor had escaped once I saw her astonished face. After all last she heard he was in prison.

"And what is that?" Oksana asked.

"Well, I'm not forcing you to do this okay? I just want to try everything that I can."

"It's okay Rose I know that I definitely wasn't as close to Dimka as you were but I still miss him," Oksana reassured me.

"Okay then, well you know how you can find people with your mind if you are familiar with them?" I asked her.

"Yes but I am still learning how to do it," she said warily.

"Well than this will be the ultimate test! You see I need you to get into Lissa's head and then through her to Victor since she is familiar with him," I pleaded.

"Rose I don't know if I can do that; I mean getting inside ones head is one thing but doing that as well," she breathed a heavy breath but then saw the look in my eyes. "Okay we can try Rose but don't get your hopes up."

"That's all I ever asked for." I smiled at her.

"Should we do it now or when will you be ready?"

"Now is as good as any other day," she smiled.

"Okay," I sighed. "Lissa!" She turned her head from where she was talking with Marc, Adrian, Karolina and Yeva and she came to sit by me.

"Yeah Rose?"

"We are going to do it, now." Lissa knew immediately what I was talking about and she smiled.

"Okay," her eyes lit up and turned to Oksana. "Just tell me what to do."

While Oksana and Lissa talked about the best strategy to do this I called over Marc, Adrian, Yeva and Karolina; I figured that Marc and Adrian would like to see this and I didn't want to exclude Karolina or Yeva.

"So, are they going to try?" Karolina asked excitedly.

I nodded and I saw the light go up in Yeva's eyes as well as Karolina's. Marc as he had heard what was going on through the bond needed no explanation as well as Adrian who had already known what was going on.

"They are going to try," I confirmed with my voice. "But they are talking about the easiest way on how to do this now."

"I would like to help," Adrian said boldly.

"Please Adrian you wouldn't be any help," I told him smirking.

"Why not I am a spirit user!" he defended.

"That might be true but you also had a few too many glasses of wine last night and you don't know Victor like Lissa does. If anyone has a chance of helping Oksana reach Victor its Lissa," I proclaimed.

"Fine," Adrian sighed defeated. "But I'm helping next time."

"Oh don't worry I'll let you," I grinned over at him.

"Adrian there is something I was meaning to ask you," I told him.

"Yes my little dhampir of course I will take you on a date," he said sarcastically.

"You know that's not what I meant," I punched him playfully on the arm.

"You would rather share my bed? Well I'm sure I would have enough room."

"Yeah sure just call me when the world ends," I joked. "Actually I wanted to ask you about your dream walking."

"Oh," Adrian seemed to be taken by surprise. "Well ask away."

"Does it take a lot of energy to dream walk?"

"No not really." He shrugged. "As much energy as any other spirit power it just depends on how long the dream is and how powerful it is."

"Oh," I sighed defeated. His power wasn't as much liked Dimitri's as I thought.

"_But,_" he continued. "It is sometimes harder the farther away I am from the person's dream I am getting into and how much I know them."

Well that would make sense, I thought. First of all why it drained Dimitri so much – he could be in a different universe for all I knew. But the second one well Dimitri and I knew each other so well I couldn't understand why it would be hard for him to come into my dreams but it explained why he could see me so clearly compared to all the other shadow kissed blurs as he had described them. It also explained why he could see Marc but not as well as he could see me.

"Alright we are going to try," Lissa announced. I tensed myself; soon I would find out where Victor was' I hoped and what he wanted from me.

"Oh by the way Oksana," that last thought had reminded me of something important. "While you are in his head try to find out what he wants."

She nodded, "I will try my best Rose."

Then I tuned into Lissa so that I could see what exactly she was seeing. I wasn't sure what to expect after all would she see what Oksana was seeing or would she only be thinking of Victor repeatedly. I couldn't be sure since I had been talking to Adrian the whole time that they had planned out what they were going to do. I closed my eyes and then suddenly I wasn't in my mind, or Lissa's; I was in Victor's.

"Robert," Victor snapped. "Hurry up and tell me."

"I'm sorry brother I'm just so tired," whimpered a skinny man kneeling before him. I was shocked after everything that I had heard about him I had not expected Robert to be a prisoner. He was short for a moroi – probably only 6'0 or 5'11 and was all skin and bones and much skinnier than any healthy moroi could ever be. His joints pointed out in distorted places but I could tell that if he was healthier that he could be very handsome. He was much older than I had expected – probably in his late fifties or early sixties with a large patch of white hair on his head with bright blue eyes. He had bags under his eyes from sleep deprivation but he also had small wrinkles from smiling too much; I could tell that he had a happy life until recently.

"Fine," Robert sighed wearily. "Just hold on a second." Robert closed his eyes and he almost looked peaceful that is until he started screaming.

""I see you!" He screamed. "Don't hide from me!" It reminded me of how I had become crazy when I first saw the ghosts – but he wasn't screaming for them to go away; he was screaming for them to show themselves.

He slowly opened his eyes and slipped out of his slumber.

"Okay," Robert sighed wearily. "Th-"

But I never got to figure out what the end of Robert's statement was because suddenly I was whisked back into Lissa's head and then I quickly returned to my own.

"Wow," I said in shock. "That really was something." I looked over at Marc to see what he had thought of Robert's screaming act and I saw that he had a mask of horror on his face as well.

"Surely you don't think ..." I let my sentence trail off to see how Marc would end it.

"No," he said firmly. "He is just crazy, or maybe he has this new spirit ability or something. I don't know but no it is not what you are thinking." I sighed in relief.

"Thank God," I said thankfully.

"Anyways," I turned to Oksana. "What did you find out?"

"Well obviously the experiment was successful," Oksana declared. Okay yes that was obvious I thought in my head. She was sure getting to be annoying with her all wise and powerful manners.

"But I know where he is and I know what he wants too."

"Well?" I said impatiently.

"He is in San Diego being disguised among humans. He has bought himself a condo under a false name where he stays with Robert."

"Okay and what does he want?"

"He wants to rule the moroi world. He knows that Tatiana will never proclaim him king so he wants someone that will or at least follow his orders. He wants Lissa."

"No!" I screamed. That was something that I could not give up even if it meant that I could not bring Dimitri back. At least I still had Dimitri in my dreams but I could not give up Lissa to my most evil enemy – even out of the strigoi in my opinion.

"Rose I have to," Lissa said patiently.

"No Lissa." I said firmly.

"But Rose in order to get Dimitri back I have to do this."

"No you don't Lissa." I turned to Oksana. "You said they were alone?"

"Yes they have no guards. The queen has had everyone banned from contacting him unless to capture him."

I nodded.

"You see? We are just going to have to go and get Robert ourselves," I grinned mischievously.

"And what if he won't come with us?" Adrian perked up. "I know that you're a real charmer and all that Rose but do you really think that he will just come willingly to us? And leave his brother?"

"No Adrian I don't _think, _I know." I said thinking back to how Robert was being kept as a slave; surely against his will. I knew that he must be weak after all Victor wasn't very strong – he had always had guardians to take care of him before and I knew that I could easily take him down in a fight. I just hoped that he had no tricks up his sleeve.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys! This chapter is a bit suckish in my opinion but I promise that I will have something way better coming your way soon!**

**Anyways I have a swim meet coming up so I won't be updating as much lately. Also I hurt my shoulder at cheerleading :(.**

**Anyways remember to review, review, review! Tell me about your day I would love to hear about it!**

**-Catherine  
**

As soon as we went back to Olena's I wanted to go right away. We didn't have time to waste in my opinion. I mean Dimitri could be right outside my window for all I knew. But I waited impatiently as ever and I waited I paced back and forth in my room. Why couldn't we just go?! I asked myself. After all it was only two powerless moroi. Okay maybe they were not completely powerless but seriously earth magic was nothing compared to my own fighting skills and I really doubt that Robert would put up much of a fight.

"Little Dhampir," I heard Adrian's voice come from behind me.

"God dammit!" I pounded my fist onto the bed.

"A little frustrated are we?" Adrian asked me teasingly.

"No I'm not frustrated at all," I said sarcastically "I mean I only know exactly where Robert is and no one will come with me to come and find him! I mean Dimitri could be getting closer every fucking second!"

"First of all tons of people are going to come with you Rose it's just we are going to wait a few days first," Adrian said quietly.

I gave him a are-you-really-serious look and rolled my eyes at him.

"You know what I mean," I told him.

"Yes I do and anyways second of all I can think of a lot of better ways on how we could vent that frustration," he raised his eyebrows seductively but I just grinned at him.

"You know that no matter how many times we go over this my mind is not going to change."

"Yeah I know but I can try can't I?"

"No," I said stubbornly and Adrian started to laugh at my childish tone. After a while I had to join in I mean I was acting rather bizarrely.

"Thanks Adrian," I choked in between fits of laughter. "You always know how to calm me down."

"No problem," Adrian shrugged once we had managed to stop laughing. "That's what I'm here for."

Suddenly we heard Olena call out our names for supper. Of course normal activities would go on while the love of my life just went on in his trapped little box somewhere in this world, while I knew that I could save him but no we had to go on with traditional activities. I didn't protest though and climbed down the stairs _almost _willingly to the table after all the food did smell delicious and just because I was in the middle of a tragedy didn't mean I couldn't eat.

"Hey guys" I grinned at them as I fumbled down the stairs.

"I'm surprised to see you two here," I said to Christian and Lissa as I came nearer to them. "It seems to me as if something was making you _really _happy just a few minutes ago. I wonder what that could be ..." I said sarcastically.

"Actually Rose," Christian said in his snarky tone. "We are getting married." I looked up into his eyes and saw them flooded with happiness so I immediately knew it was the truth. I was instantly overwhelmed with a dozen emotions. Anger. Betrayal. Shock. Sadness. Happiness. I settled on that last one after all I should be happy for them.

"Are you serious?" I asked Christian. He looked at me curiously while Lissa gave me a pleading look.

"No duh Rose, here show her the ring Lissa." Lissa extended her hand to me and I saw about the most glorious ring in the history of the world. It was simple yet beautiful just like Lissa. It was a simple gold band with a huge diamond on it and as the lights caught the shine a million rainbows danced around the room.

"I didn't expect that you weren't actually getting married. I _meant _that are you serious that you're so afraid that she will run off that you are marrying her." I grinned and he grinned back and I knew that he had not been insulted.

_No harm done see Lissa._

I heard her chuckle under her breath while Christian walked away towards the table.

"Well this is surprising," I said under my breath. "Does anybody else know?" I asked Lissa as I realized that really this had just been a small gathering of the three of us.

"Nope we are going to tell everyone tonight." Lissa smiled at me.

"I'm still a little sad though."

"Why? I thought you'd be happy for me Rose I know that Dimitri is gone now but you have a good chance of-"

"Lissa," I looked at her. "Please tell me you don't think I was jealous."

"Then what are you talking about?"

"I could never have been _less _jealous in my entire life. I'm just a little sad that you never told me!" My voice raised an octave at the end in delight.

"You're okay with this?"

"Of course I'm okay Liss! I'm so happy for you even if you are marrying an ass like Christian I mean you couldn't have done any worse!"

"Actually I could have done a little worse." Lissa pointed out.

"Not really Lissa I mean its _Christian_ we're talking about here."

"I know who we're talking about Rose," she punched me playfully on the arm. "But I could be marrying Adrian."

"Yeah I suppose that's the only way you could have done worse." We then walked towards the table where Olena had cooked a full turkey. Was I missing something? I shrugged and dag in it was delicious.

"This is really good Olena!" I said amazed.

"It's just something you pick up over the years I guess. But thank you."

I smiled at her.

"So I suppose we will be going soon right?" I asked no one in particular. "I mean it's only two moroi."

"Well we need to get flights and extra guardians and stuff," Eddie explained.

"Don't worry about it," I waved him off.

"I'll ask Abe."

"Are you sure Rose?" Adrian asked me. "I mean Victor might be checking the flights after all he knows that you're after him."

"How does he know that?"

"Word gets around," Adrian shrugged.

"Anyways don't worry about I'm sure that Abe has about a billion private jets it should be simple."

"If you insist," Adrian shrugged. "Yeah I am. Oh and is Oksana coming with us?"

"She should be," Lissa replied. "She told me when we were talking that she wants to help as much as she can."

"When are you guys going I mean you just got here and now you're going again?" Viktoria spoke up.

"Yeah we don't have time to waste."

"Okay," she whined. "Well can I come?"

"No," Olena and I said at the exact same time.

"Why not? I could help!" Viktoria insisted. "You wouldn't help Viktoria you would just be another person for me to have to look after. Plus Dimitri wouldn't have wanted it."

Viktoria shrugged but couldn't argue with that I had a feeling that she and Dimitri had been really close.

"You will come back and visit again soon though?"

"As soon as I can," I promised.

"Okay cool," Viktoria shrugged in defeat.

"I have to go!" She jumped up from her seat quickly.

"Why?" I asked her shocked.

"I'm going out with Nikolai tonight!" She yelled over her shoulder. I smiled I had always liked Nikolai he was a nice kid and respected her. Unlike that Rolan creep I thought to myself. I was glad that I had gotten her out well actually Abe had gotten her out of there. Who knows how she would be right now possibly a blood whore after all I knew from personal experiences how addictive vampire bites could be moroi and strigoi alike.

"Have fun!" I yelled out to her as she ran out the door.

"Who's Nikolai?" Christian asked.

"A really nice friend of hers," I answered. I didn't elaborate after all I hadn't had the chance to ask her what was happening with her but I hoped that they had gotten together.

"Actually boyfriend," Sonya interrupted my thoughts.

"Really?" I smiled. "That's too bad he was quite good looking the last time I was here," I grinned sarcastically.

"Rose! Be polite!" Lissa hissed at me while I smirked.

"You know that I'm just kidding," I nudged her.

"Actually I have something to say," Lissa spoke up. Lissa looked at Christian with adoring eyes and I could tell that if everyone here knew Lissa like I did or even Eddie that they knew what the next words out of her mouth were going to be. "We're getting married!" She squealed while all of the Belikovs' congratulated the couple.

Paul looked over at Lissa and Christian as they kissed and said. "Eww!" I laughed with the rest of the table he really was an adorable little child.

* * *

That night I called Abe, it rang once and then he picked up so I knew that he would be close by.

"Rose did you find what you were looking for?" Well at least he got strait to the point.

"Yeah Abe he's in San Diego we need a plane there for as soon as possible."

"Will tomorrow morning do?" Well that was fast.

"Yeah that would be great," I said awkwardly.

"I'm sending two guardians with you too."

"Don't worry about it he has no one with him but Rob-"

"Rose, they are coming whether you like it or not," he said in that menacing tone. There was no arguing with that.

"Alright," I sighed. "I have to go if I want to catch a plane by tomorrow."

"Alright bye Rose."

"Oh wait what airport?"

"No airport; Sydney will pick you up tomorrow and bring you to a clearing."

"Okay thanks ... dad." I added on at the end. It sounded awkward but it felt right.

"You're welcome; I'll talk to you soon." Then we hung up and everything was arranged. All I had to do now was find out how to save my soul mate, find him and then hopefully not get killed in the process. Easy, right? Maybe not.

I laid in my bed that night thinking about all of the things that had happened today. Wow it really had been amazing. For the past two months I had been waiting for this and now it was all completed in one day. I sighed happily to myself maybe I really could get my happily ever after that I so desperately wanted. Maybe Dimitri would come into my dreams tonight. I closed my eyes and let sleep take me.

* * *

It turned out that I did get a visit to my dreams just not from the person I wanted.

"Adrian," I groaned.

"You could be a little more appreciative," he insisted.

"No not really, you are disturbing my sleep with you and I was completely happy until you came along."

"How could you know that you were happy if you were unconscious?"

"I'm always happy when I'm without you," I grinned.

"Ouch that was low Rose even for you," Adrian teased.

"Want a band-aid to make it better?" I smiled at him.

"No but I'll take the kiss any day."

"You know that I will never kiss you right?"

"I can try can't I?"

"Last I checked it was a law that you _couldn't _try, maybe I should call the police," I insisted.

"You won't rat me out Rose you love me too much," he insisted.

I pretended to think about that for a moment. "Nope I don't think I do actually," I grinned at him.

"Anyways everything is set for the morning?" I asked successfully changing the topic.

"Yep everyone knows but where are we going anyways?"

"I don't know actually Adrian. Abe told me that he was sending Sydney."

"Perfect more time to lay on the charm," he purred.

"Trust me Adrian you're just wasting your time. Sydney hates you _almost _as much as I do."

"I can dream can't I?"

"Apparently," I gestured around us.

"Haha very funny. Well I will let you sleep little dhampir."

"Finally," I joked.

"See you in the morning little dhampir."

"Unfortunately," I grinned as Adrian began to fade into the black that was now consuming me.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys sorry this is so short! Thanks for being patient with me I have been very busy lately.**

**Thanks for all of your wonderful reviews guys they make my day : D.**

**This was a lot of fun to write guys I hope you enjoy and I promise that we will find out what happens with Robert soon!**

**-Catherine  
**

I yawned as I awoke from my deep slumber. It had been peaceful; besides the Adrian part of course. I looked out my – Dimitri's – window to see that the Russian land was covered in a thick blanket of snow and that it was light out; _must still be the night –or day for humans- _; I thought. I yearned for the fresh air outdoors and just to have a really nice fight like Dimitri and I used to when we trained together. I jumped out of my bed grabbing an oversized hoodie on my way out and shrugged it over my shoulders. I opened the door to feel the wind piercing my skin.

I ran out the door embracing the frighteningly cold wind. It stung a bit by the fresh air in my lungs was nice; I breathed in and just ran. I ran for the sake of running; not to save someone else's life, or my own life or to even to catch the bus. I smiled to myself. I ran slowly after all I didn't want someone to see me and think that I should be in the Olympics. I turned it down to a jog and smiled at the few humans that I saw. I ran outside of the town of Baia and I was soon approaching another small town. I looked around at my surroundings and thought that they were oddly familiar. Had I been here before? Probably, at some time or another when I had been travelling Russia or maybe I had been here with Sydney or Nikolai's older brother. I shrugged it off it was probably just another case of déjà vu.

Suddenly a nauseous feeling overwhelmed me; this was not good, not good at all. I was in a dark alley and I looked around everywhere, where was the strigoi? Of course he –or she- could be anywhere after all my built-in strigoi detector could sense them from a far enough distance away. I tensed myself and felt in my pockets and belt for a silver stake. _SHIT! _I had left the stake home after all what were the chances of running into a strigoi when I was just out going out for a jog? But still I should of been more prepared after all with my luck...

My thoughts were stopped short from a voice coming around the corner.

"Hello little dhampir now who do we have here?" The voice was male and he had a heavy Russian accent. As he came closer I took in his appearance. He had dark brown hair and blue eyes that were rimmed with red. He was also very tall but had a lean body; probably moroi before he had turned. I took him in slowly and I breathed in a sigh of relief; it was no one I knew thank god but still here I was unarmed with a strigoi stalking me of course he didn't just who he was stalking. It was Rose Hathaway.

I quickly scanned the area for something, anything to defend myself with. Something sharp would be great to slice off his head but really what were the chances that some random sword would be hanging around a deserted alley? My eyes continued scanning and I saw a rusted rake leaning against a dumpster. My eyes landed there for a second, just long enough for me to come up with a plan.

"Hello evil strigoi, you have _no _idea what you have here." I spat at him.

"Now dear, dear _such _disrespect; I have killed way more times than you."

"Really?" I said doubtfully. Yeah right I'm sure that he's killed lots of people before. I believed that. I just didn't think he killed as many hard targets as I had. My thoughts traveled back to my time in Russia and then back to my time in Spokane. I had killed a lot more often than I had been given credit for my hand rubbed the back of my neck where eleven of my molnija marks laid.

"Yep I am your worst enemy," he said smugly. Buddy you _really _don't know who you're dealing with.

I chuckled and then a new thought occurred to me.

"How are you out in the sun?" I asked him curiously. Strigoi couldn't go out in the sun, they just couldn't.

"I'm not in the sun," he countered. "I am in the shade of these buildings that are hiding us; the very ones that will hide your dead body."

"We'll see," I whispered quietly but I knew that he could hear. His body tensed into a crouch and he sprang at me attempting to pin me to the ground but I was just as fast and I sprang towards the rake. Obviously this hand not been the move that he had been expecting but he was up on his feet again just as I grabbed the rake. I had to give him some credit he wasn't that bad.

"I guess they aren't teaching you much during school are they?" he snickered. "Only stakes can kill us."

"You think so? Because it just so happens that I killed two strigoi differently – without a stake."

"Oh darling I doubt you killed them probably just shocked them."

"Nope they were dead," I insisted. "Anyways let's get this show on the road."

He didn't protest further which I figured out that he was too hungry to keep the chit chat up. Too bad he would never eat another meal. He lunged at me and blew me backwards my head banging onto the snow covered ground. I pounced to my feet and lunged at him punching him across the nose. It cracked and I knew that it was broken. I smiled at him daringly.

"Still think you're a match for me?" I smiled sweetly but I was laughing on the inside this guy was so much easier then I had thought.

"I'm just getting warmed up," he growled.

"Oh good this should be easy then 'because I was just cooling down," I laughed at my fake goody-two-shoes voice. This was going to be an exciting day. He lunged at me again spearing his head for my stomach but quickly I danced out of the way. Before he had gotten a chance to recover from bending down to attempt to punch me I kicked him on the side and made him falter for just a moment. I swung the rake up –which had been grasped firmly in my right hand until now- and made an attempt for the sharps ends to pierce his neck but he deflected it and flung it out of my hand. Although my grip on the rake before forced it to only land a couple of feet away. The strigoi did not give me a chance to recover and punched me swiftly in the neck. That was going to leave a mark. My rage that was bubbling suddenly exploded within me and I growled at him giving him my best Rose Hathaway glare.

"You are going to pay," I gritted between my teeth. I ducked down as he swung another fist at me and as I ducked I stuck my foot over his shoulder and I brought myself up. I twisted myself so that I was sitting on his shoulders but so that I still had control and I brought his neck and snapped it down. His neck made a sickening crack as it broke but I knew that it would heal swiftly enough – unlike my own broken nose. I made a lunge for the rake while he was still distracted by his broken neck. It must have hurt although I knew that it wasn't enough to paralyze him so I acted quickly. I took the rake and hammered it through his heart. I knew that it would not keep him still forever –probably only 5 minutes at best- . I kept it in there knowing that if I removed it he would come right back into action. I searched around the dumpster and found my weapon of choice – a dagger. This must be a foul part of town, I thought. But I thanked the lord that it was at that moment because if it hadn't of been I really doubted that someone would have a dagger lying around under a dumpster. The knife was clean and a little old but I knew that if I was quick enough it would to the job.

I raced over to my opponent and quickly tried to decapitate him. It was harder since the dagger was small but it was newer and sharper than the sword I had used to kill the strigoi in Spokane. I swung my wrist back and cut into his neck. It made a wound about an inch deep and I repeated the action until finally he was dead. I saw his head lying on the ground and I knew that Sydney would not be happy with me. I would've laughed if I had been in another situation, of course Sydney would be concerned that I had not disposed of it. It was a good thing that she would be coming today. I sunk to the ground and rested my head in my knees. I looked up at the stars and realized that throughout the fight it had become day –or night- whatever world you lived in.

I opened my thoughts and attempted to reach Lissa after all I didn't want them worrying about me. I closed my eyes and thought of none of my own problems or anything at all I just focused on Lissa's emotions and then finally I slipped inside her head.

She was lying in bed sleeping next to Christian. Her breathing was even, in out, in out and all over again. I smiled she was okay and no one was worried I smiled and slipped out of my own head. I walked over to the strigoi that I had just killed and tried to keep my own emotions at bay, my own thoughts, and my own experiences. It was like I had the guardian's mask on but mentally as well as physically. I picked up his head and dumped it into the dumpster as well as his body. I hoped that I could reach Sydney before anyone noticed that there was a corpse lying in the dumpster. I then turned and ran all the way back to Baia. I had enough adventures for one day.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys this might just suck a little bit! Haha I was very tired when I wrote it!**

**Thanks for all the reviews guys they make my day :).**

**I have so much homework lately it isn't fit! Ugh!**

**Anyways thanks for being patient with me guys and I hope you like it I know that it is taking a while for what you are all waiting for but it is coming I promise!**

**-Catherine**

**P.S. I just figured out that I love strawberry jam!  
**

I crept in quietly through the back door and tiptoed up the stairs to my –Dimitri's- room. I was careful not to make any noise and I slipped by _almost _completely silently but once I reached my room and opened the door I saw Yeva sitting on the small bed with tears glistening in her eyes. I was shocked this was unlike the proud and mischievous old woman that I knew.

"Yeva?" I said cautiously. "What's wrong?"

"Y-you should be dead," she whimpered. "I woke up because you suddenly slipped out of my vision all together. I came to check on you and here was your unmade bed."

My eyes followed hers to the bed that I had not bothered to make.

"I'm sorry Yeva I was just out for a run, maybe I was too far away," I said awkwardly. I was hoping that she would fall for my lie. Actually it wasn't really lying just bending the truth a little. I kept my facial features as guardian-like as possible remembering all the times that Dimitri had said that I was a horrible liar despite my own thoughts on the subject.

"No Rose my sight as no distance sure the first time I saw you it was you and Dimitri getting married," Yeva said thoughtfully.

"Dimitri and I would have gotten married?" I gasped thinking of the thought; of me and Dimitri sitting on a porch bench with gray hair. Of course that probably wouldn't have happened even if we had gotten married one of us would probably gotten killed by a strigoi at one time or another plus I could never really picture me sitting calmly on a porch bench ... or with gray hair.

Yeva nodded. "It was near the beginning of March."

I thought back to the time when the strigoi had appeared, when Lissa had gone on rampage, Dimitri and I in the cabin and then the next morning saying everything would work out somehow. Did he mean that he was considering getting married? I sniffed trying to get the tears back into my eyes. What was wrong with me? Bad ass Rose Hathaway never cried, _never. _Okay maybe every once and a while but I was never this emotional before but then again I had changed a lot since the beginning of September and really since the beginning of my life. Dimitri had changed me. Love had.

"Oh well that's good to know I suppose," I said composing myself.

"Anyways where were you?" Yeva asked while she squinted her eyes.

I couldn't tell her truth. I _couldn't _besides she would just get worked up and tell everyone and besides it really wasn't that big a deal I was alive wasn't I? It wasn't like I was hurt or anything, oh yeah right the broken nose. I walked over to the mirror and I saw that blood was crusted over my face as well as my clothes. I was actually surprised that Yeva had kept her cool.

"Well I was running and I ran into a strigoi," I clenched my teeth waiting for an outburst.

"Okay," Yeva nodded. "Well you must be tired, get to sleep." She then walked out for the room. _She walked out of the room ._For Christ's sake! Here she was interrogating me and then all she had to say was go to sleep. Like seriously no 'Are you okay?' or 'Do you want anything?'

This was one queer grandma but I could see where Dimitri got his mysterious allure from. I would have laughed if I wasn't so pissed. I climbed into the bed mentally grumbling to myself and fell asleep. The next thing I knew I was in Dimitri's arms.

* * *

"Dimitri," I sighed. Then my tone changed. "Just so you know Yeva is a nut."

He laughed at my irritated tone.

"Oh my Roza what did she do?"

"Well she totally interrogated me for why I was out of bed and then when I finally told her that I went for a run and got attacked by a strigoi-" I stopped suddenly seeing the fierce look in Dimitri's eyes.

"It was nothing Dimitri really," I waved it off with my hand thinking about the fight that had occurred a few hours earlier.

"And then she just said you must be tired and walked off!" I growled irritated. "Like seriously she is so curious to know what happened and then she just doesn't care."

Dimitri ran his hands through my hair and smiled. "She isn't nuts she just cares about you."

"She cares about me right," I said doubtfully. "Maybe in an alternate universe," I grumbled under my breath.

"Anyways besides your recent attack what has been going on in your life?"

I frowned; thinking of how much Dimitri was missing and really how lonely he must be all the time.

"Well we are going to see Robert Doru," I told him.

"Who's he?" Dimitri asked.

Oh right he didn't know anything about Robert Doru.

"Well like I started to tell you last time about Mark's wife well we found her and _she_ found Robert. Robert is a spirit user who claims to have brought back people from strigoi form and into their old selves but only Victor Dashkov knows where he is well except us so we are going to go um well take him from Victor," I explained quickly in a rush.

"Wait a minute why is he with Victor?" Dimitri said his eyes and tone menacing.

"Oh there brothers," I looked down at the floor not how Dimitri would handle this.

"Rose don't you go getting yourself in danger for me-"

"It's not dangerous really Dimitri they are the only two there."

"In the jail?" Dimitri asked sceptically.

"Oh no Victor escaped."

"What?!"

"Oh yeah I thought you knew anyways we are going to find him tomorrow and see if we can bring him back."

"Still Roza it could be danger-" I cut him up.

"Shut up Comrade I'm going to try and save you whether you like it or not. Now kiss me," I demanded.

And that's just what he did. He bent down to me while I wrapped my arms around him and our lips met. This felt just like it did in the real world and I knew that heaven existed. I smiled against his lips and kissed him passionately. I opened his lips and we were totally with each other. My hands tangled into his silky brown hair and I pulled in all different directions while his hands did the same to mine.

"I love you Comrade," I murmured against his lips.

"I love you Roza," he whispered back. I just melted when he called me that although I'm pretty sure he hated my own nickname for him. Then Dimitri started to fade and it was just a bit too familiar.

"Bye Dimitri I'll see you soon," I smiled at him wistfully.

"Yes Roza I will speak to you as soon as I can," Dimitri waved goodbye and I expected myself to crash into darkness instead I woke up.

"Rose! Rose wake _up!"_ Lissa was shoving me over and over again.

"Lissa," I growled at her. "You better have a perfectly good explanation for waking me up."

"Rose we have to go now! Sydney is here," Lissa said anxiously. Immediately I was out of bed with a brush in my hand. I illuminated the tangles fiercely and then I all but ran down the stairs forgetting why I was mad at Lissa.

"Sydney," I smiled at her which I hoped to be warmly and I saw her talking to Adrian god help me I hope she doesn't murder him. Actually that would be a very amusing thing to watch. Poisonous thoughts wracked my brain; Sydney running after Adrian with a pitchfork. I chuckled out loud and that turned the attention onto me.

"What's so funny Rose?" Eddie asked anxiously like he suspected that I would go mad at any second. Which was _totally _unfair after all I hardly ever lost control of myself; hardly being the key word. I replayed the scene in my head to find Lissa funny. Well at least she wasn't mad at me. Eddie and Christian glanced warily between me and Lissa.

"You know if this is about me I have a right to know," Christian insisted.

"It's not about you Sparky don't worry Lissa wasn't telling me any of your dirty little secrets," I smirked.

"Rose!" I suddenly heard a squeal behind me and looked to see Viktoria.

"Viktoria!" I ran over to her and hugged her. "I'm sorry that we haven't spent much time together," I told her sincerely. "But my next visit will last much longer," I whispered into her ear.

She smiled a billion watt smile just like Dimitri's. I thought back to my slumber of the night before when I had seen that very smile. "And next time I come I want to hear _all _about you and Nikolai," I whispered into her ear and I saw her blush.

"Okay," she whined. "I'll see you soon right?"

"Yes," I confirmed for I don't know maybe the billionth time?

I turned to Olena. "Thanks for everything," I whispered into her ear. "And I'm getting your Dimka and my Comrade back."

I pulled back to see that she looked puzzled. "Comrade?" She said questionably but I just shook it off.

"I'll see you soon."

Adrian, Christian, Sydney, Eddie and Lissa were waiting by the door but I had one more person to see before I left.

"Yeva?" I looked around the foyer expecting to see her lurking in a corner somewhere.

Olena pointed towards the ceiling where Paul, Karolina and Sonya were sleeping along with Yeva I suppose.

"Hold on one minute," I said quickly as I dashed up the stairs.

"Ro-" Lissa protested but her voice faded quickly as I bounded up. I heard the rest of her statement through our bond though.

_Don't wake her it's impolite._ That was my Lissa.

I knocked three quick raps on the door to see Yeva wearing that familiar grin.

"I wanted to say goodbye," I told her.

She muttered a few words in Russian which I understood to be profanities. Man Dimitri really had to teach me those once I got him back. If I did.

"Goodbye Rose and don't run into too much trouble," she said in her thick Russian accent.

"I don't run into trouble, trouble runs to me," I winked at her and ran down the stairs to join the others.


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey guys! Well I hope you enjoy this chapter I promise we are getting closer and closer to what you are all waiting for!**

**Anyways I wanted to thank you for all reading this and reviewing, you guys rock my world ! : D**

**I know that I am a bit slower and the chapters are a bit worse than normal but I have been oober busy!**

**Enjoy and let me know what you think! (review, review, review : D)**

**-Catherine**

**P.S. I hope this makes sense LOL.  
**

I stared out the windows of the red hurricane. Tap tap tap tap. The rain tapped continuously on the outside of the window each drop making a rhythm and unbreakable rhythm. I looked out and remembered that soon enough I would find Robert Doru only a few more hours and I would be in San Diego and then in a couple more hours I would have all the information I needed. Hopefully. All of the unspoken possibilities scrambled through my head. _What if Victor beats us. What if Robert really is a nut. What if, what if, what if. _It was almost like the rain patter and the thoughts made a song.

I was sitting in the back of the red hurricane squished between Lissa, Christian and Eddie. Oksana and Adrian were up front while Sydney was driving. I looked up out of my own thoughts and I saw that Oksana was humming peacefully to herself while Lissa and Christian were deep in conversation while Eddie was off into his own world, sort of like me. He was probably thinking of Mason. Mason had been his best friend and my well friend / boy friend / partner in crime type thing. It had been a very confusing relationship but now he was dead and it was my entire fault. I refused to think about that though I already had enough depressing thoughts overwhelming my mind. _Dimitri._ I looked up front to see Adrian and Sydney chatting actively. I was actually surprised that Sydney was not trying to bite his head off. First of all he was an unnatural evil demon and second of all Adrian could come on sort of as a womanizer once you first met him. I didn't realize that Sydney fell for that type of guy. I quickly toned into their conversation to see what they were up to.

"Yeah we get the marks for keeping your race a secret," Sydney continued. "It's not really something I want to do but," she shrugged. "I have to."

"Well why do you have to can't someone else carry it on or no one at all?" Adrian asked.

"It's not that simple, my sister could never do it and well some just _has _to it's just the way it is."

"That doesn't seem fair," Adrian said and he really looked interested. He looked like he cared and Sydney had that same gleam in her eyes. But Adrian couldn't be interested in Sydney and Sydney _certainly _couldn't like Adrian. They were two polar opposites, no way. _No, no, no, no._ Lissa looked over at me anxiously and I realized that I had my barriers down. I was jealous of what, Sydney? Adrian? No that wasn't possible I was in love with _Dimitri _not ignorant Adrian. _Dimitri _was the one that I wanted. Not Adrian. _Dimitri _was the one that I loved. Not Adrian. _Dimitri_ was the one I couldn't live without. Not Adrian. Then why am I feeling jealous? I was outraged at myself for not being able to form and answer to that. Why?

"Sydney?" I asked which I hoped was an innocent voice but underneath I was filled with irritation. "Can we stop I have to use the washroom," I lied.

"I don't know Rose we are only a little bit more away," Sydney looked anxious.

"Come on Sydney it's an emergency!" I growled.

"Well okay but be quick," Sydney finally gave in. We started to pull into a deserted gas station.

"We don't have time to waste so come on Rose," Sydney said a little aggravated.

I gave Adrian a meaningful look as I walked in towards the gas station. All I could hope for now was for him to follow. I waited for a couple seconds letting the cold night air sting my skin and then I had the pleasure of hearing soft footsteps coming up behind me. Perfect. Once we were out of sight of everyone in the truck I turned towards Adrian.

"What was that about?" I demanded.

"What was what about? I came to come and talk to you!"

"No I mean you and Sydney! Listen you can't use compulsion on others because I _know _that Sydney would never flirt with you out of her own free will," I explained. It wasn't completely a lie okay so I doubted that he used compulsion and I didn't think that he did either but come on this was Sydney we were talking about and it was highly unlikely that she would ever flirt with Adrian.

"Are you serious Rose? You think that maybe it isn't possible for someone to like me for me?" Adrian explained.

"Well Sydney believes that we are all evil demons so yes in this situation."

"Believe it Rose because Sydney likes me! She may not have first but then once we got talking," he shrugged. "I can see auras Rose," he reminded me. "And when Sydney was talking to me it was pink and now yours is," he had that look on his face when he was looking for an aura. "Is green!" he said shocked.

"Your jealous," he taunted. "Rose likes me," he grinned.

"No I don't Adrian I'm just looking out for Sydney," I gritted my teeth.

"Yeah sure, whatever Rose. Your aura gives you away," he grinned his famous smile.

"I don't Adrian trust me," I lied. That was beginning to become a habit of mine I hoped that everyone else in the world couldn't read me like Dimitri had. _Dimitri. _Emotions overwhelmed me and I forgot where I was, and who I was with. All I could think about was Dimitri, how I was so close but so far away from him. Any day now he could be staked all my hopes gone down the drain and then if we Robert couldn't help me. I broke down and crumpled to my legs. What was I going to do? What was wrong with me? I was supposed to be hard and tough Rose Hathaway; bad ass Rose Hathaway.

I sat down on the ground on the back of the gas station. Adrian seemed to see my change in mood because suddenly he was down on the ground too and he was holding me. I liked it. No, this wasn't how it was supposed to be. This wasn't how it was. He had Sydney – well maybe and I had Dimitri, simple. But maybe it wasn't that simple because no matter how much I tried –and trust me I had tried- I could not deny that I felt something for Adrian. Maybe it wasn't as great as the love I had for Dimitri hell it didn't compare to that at all yet this tiny, piece of my heart loved Adrian.

"I love you Adrian," I groaned admitting defeat.

"Yeah I know who doesn't?"

I groaned why did he have to be like this? It would actually be better for him if he was with Sydney.

"You should go back to Sydney," I whispered my voice as quiet as a shadow.

"Listen Rose I have waited as long as I have known you to hear those words and seriously Sydney is nothing but –"

"How can you say that Adrian?! Sydney is nothing but what a toy? If you haven't noticed she happens to be one of my best friends!" I screamed at him.

"You know what Adrian I think I'll just go this is a mistake," I said storming off.

He must have seen the change in my aura because suddenly he was behind me pulling me back.

"Rose listen I do like Sydney, a lot." He added seeing my expression. "But," he continued "the fact that I like her does not change the fact that I'm in love with you." He paused for a moment and I calmed down hearing his voice. He loved me but despite the fact that I had been jealous earlier did not change the fact that it was wrong. I couldn't love him the way I loved Dimitri. I could never love anyone the way I had loved Dimitri. Dimitri was my soul mate and no matter how hard I had tried –when he had been alive and strigoi- I could not hide the fact that I loved him. I couldn't get over him with Mason or by myself and I'm sure that with Adrian it would be no different so I couldn't let this go on because if I did I would regret it, right?

"Adrian I can't-"he stopped me pulling me towards me and leaning his face down to mine. It started out tenderly and softly and then soon it was filled with lust. His hands were knotted in my hair and mine in his my eyes were closed. I loved this man. I did it just didn't compare to the fact that the rest of my heart was already given to someone else.

"Adrian," I murmured against his lips gently pushing him back. "Stop," I commanded him once he was off of me.

"Wow," he gasped. What had I done? I heard Lissa's voice in my head.

_SHIT! _She had seen everything. Just great I would have a lot of explaining to do later.

"Go back to Sydney Adrian it won't work," I told him.

"But it will work Rose we can-"he insisted.

"No Adrian, listen to me. Tonight was your chance and even if I do love you it is nothing compared to the love I feel for Dimitri and that is not fair for you or me. Go back to Sydney she is lucky to have someone like you even if she doesn't appreciate it at first but she will later, trust me. I love you Adrian and I'm sure that some part of my always will but it isn't enough."

I had just told Adrian every one of my deepest feelings and everything that had been running through my mind.

"Okay," Adrian whispered his lovely green eyes filled with hurt. "At least you gave me a chance."

He started to head back towards the red hurricane. Great another heart that was broken tonight. Once he was a fair distance away he turned back towards me.

"Rose, I will always be here for you." He promised. I just nodded because I knew that I could not rely on him anymore than a normal friend anymore. That was the limits of our relationship I could not allow it any further because if I did I knew that I would just be puncturing a deeper sore in both of our hearts it was like pouring lemon juice into a wound.

"And hurry up we promised Sydney," he winked at me his face turning from sullen and hurt to taunting and amused like usual in an instant.

"Okay," I said trying to keep my tone light like his but I knew that it did no good because after all even if only Dimitri could read my face Adrian could read my aura. After he disappeared beyond the corner of the gas station I let a lonely tear shed down my cheek but I quickly wiped it away. Soon I would be in San Diego; soon I could save my one true love and then no one would be in pain –Adrian, Dimitri or I-. I hoped.

I walked around the corner of the gas station just like Adrian had done and wiped away the redness on my tear stained cheeks. It was time to face the music. Lissa.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys! I'm really sorry I never updated yesterday I am having writers block. Anyways then I had this idea, it took me 2 hours to write!**

**Hopefully I can get another chapter up today but if not I'm sorry guys!**

**-Catherine  
**

As expected once I reached the truck I was bombarded my questions by Lissa – mentally at least. I sighed at least no one else knew about mine and Adrian's moment? I didn't know what to call it but whatever it had been was over now. Finished, done.

"Took you long enough," Eddie winked at me and I grinned trying to act normal.

"Yeah I got some food," I said remembering the gummy worms I had bought earlier before Adrian had caught up to me. I pulled them out of my pocket and tossed them to Eddie.

"Sweet!" he laughed. Eddie began eating them rapidly – wow this boy must have been hungry! I smiled at everyone – except Adrian and Lissa.

"Anyone else want any?"

"I'm fine Rose thanks for asking," Adrian grinned his regular grin. Huh, maybe the tension was only one-sided. Everyone else murmured no thanks and we continued driving while I tried –unsuccessfully- to shield my thoughts from Lissa, man she was improving in spirit.

_Rose what happened? Are you okay? Want to talk? _Obviously I didn't want to talk Lissa I said mentally to myself. If I did then I would be answering you, besides I would talk to her later. No harm, no foul. Lissa continued repeatedly asking me this but I learned to drown it out just like the continuous rain overhead. There were two things that the rain and Lissa both had in common: 1) They were both annoying and 2) They were both stubborn. I laughed at my logic that I had come up with, what a great way to describe your best friend.

"How much longer?" I groaned. Seriously, I could wait but that doesn't mean that I _liked _waiting besides once we got on the plane then I would be able to tell Lissa that it was nothing. Actually I _could_ tell her now but I wanted to wait a little while first besides nothing serious had happened and it would never happen again. Anyways Lissa already knew what happened –she had been in my head at the time- so what was her problem? I began to get annoyed at Lissa for asking useless questions.

"Not too long now," Sydney answered breaking off her conversation from Adrian but this time I was not jealous that she was talking to Adrian. There was nothing going on between me and Adrian that had been established a few minutes earlier. I sighed everything was going to be back to normal, everything was going to be okay.

I expected Sydney to continue on the highway and just take us to a small airport but instead she took a turn off to a small rural town. I looked around to see all of the small old houses and farms everywhere. If I hadn't lived in Montana for most of my life I never would have believed that farms still existed but evidently they did. Sydney continued to head off into more lonesome areas until finally she stopped at a huge open field.

"Well this is it," she announced loudly.

"I don't know if you've noticed but this is a _corn field," _I told her aggravated. "_Not _an airport."

"Well did you really expect Abe to take you to an airport?" She asked incredulously.

Um, yeah? I thought to Lissa and we exchanged a knowing glance. After all we were going on an airplane.

"Now come on and hurry your asses up we have a long way to walk," Sydney exclaimed.

Oh great a hike, fun. Everyone got out and we let Sydney take the lead although Eddie and I could have easily surpassed her if we wished. We walked like that for a while and the sky began to get lighter and lighter. Finally Sydney stopped after what seemed like forever and told us to board. Ahead of us was a huge aircraft, aircraft might I add not an airplane sort of like the military type. It was very big and a circular shape with tinted windows and it was all black. I was surprised that Abe had sent a military jet for us I mean a private jet would have been fine. I looked on the ground and saw that underneath the jet was what humans called crop circles.

"So that's where the UFO legends come from," I mumbled under my breath and I heard Christian chuckle. Well that's what you get for having inhuman hearing.

"It's perfect for you Rose! Now you can finally go and join your own kind," Christian teased acknowledging that the jet looked like a space ship.

"That's funny Christian I thought they were just coming to take you back," I countered.

Everyone boarded onto the funny looking plane type thing –including Sydney- this surprised me though I had figured that she was just taking us as far as the jet.

"Not off on another mission?" I asked curiously as we took our seats inside the ship. It was luxurious with black leather seats and big flat screens. There was also a hot tub and a grand bathroom. Off of the side of the ship there was also a kitchen where there was a waiting staff and a grand table it was like being inside a mini mansion!

"No I'm coming with you guys from Abe's directions." Sydney cast a wary glance towards the pilots cabin and then out walked Abe himself with my mother and two other guardians.

"Hi Dad," I said awkwardly, "Hi Mom."

"Rosemarie Hathaway I can't believe what you have been up to. Taking your charge off on a dangerous adventure with two other moroi?!" She tsked me as she walked towards me. Wow what a warm welcome I should visit her all the time, not. As my mother reached me she brought me into a bone-crushing hug. "Don't ever do that to me again, not knowing where you were off to and then the queen only being dumbfounded." She shook her head unbelievably and cast a knowing look at Lissa.

"And you I can't believe you used compulsion on the queen! Like she approved of her favorite," she stopped herself and looked over at Adrian "favorites go on an adventure with no guardian supervision and with her boyfriend whom she despises of! Well did until recently."

"I'm sorry Guardian Hathaway but it needed to be done..." Lissa looked on the verge of tears. How dare my mother insult my best friend like that?! Sure using compulsion was illegal and risky but it was all for a good cause! And besides wasn't I guardian supervision? And Eddie? At that moment I forgot all about my annoyance with Lissa and started giving my mother a piece of Rose Hathaway's mind.

"How dare you?! Lissa was safe all the time! And besides if you know why we went you would change your mind!"

"Oh yeah, just like it was important when you and Lissa ran off from the academy and it was a special 'reason'?!" My mother spat back.

"Listen to me Rosemarie whatever you're doing is not safe! You should bring Lissa back to the court and if you want to do whatever you're doing fine but _they _come first!"

"I realize that _Janine,_" I let all of the venom I thought possible into my tone. "But Lissa wanted to come! I told her not to come! I didn't ask her to come or use compulsion on the queen! Hell I would have liked it better if she stayed at court safe and not because she's my charge because she's my best friend! That's why she came! I didn't take her with me so that I could do my own thing she came with me because she's my best friend! That was her choice!" I calmed myself down and started panting in labored breathing. "Although I suppose I can see why _you_ could never understand." I said nastily at the end of my speech.

I looked around to see that everyone had been watching us; Lissa, Christian, Eddie, Adrian, Abe, his two guardians and ... Oksana. Oh god I wished that Oksana never had to witness that. So sweet Oksana who thought that I and my mother had just had a disagreement when I had spoken about my mother last and not full out hatred for each other; she thought that most of the time we did like each other and before this we _had _been starting to bond but now all of our attempts were down the drain.

I turned away from my mother and looked at Lissa.

"Can you put me to sleep I'm starting to get a head ache." I said ignoring the others stares that were on my back. The most deadly of all though my mother. They were like daggers.

"Yeah sure," she said kindly. She turned back to Christian to murmur whispered apologies that Rose needed me right now and she would see him later. I went to sit down and Lissa followed.

"Liss, go sit with Christian. I am going to be out of it for a while now."

"You sure? I mean so much has been going on lately; Dimitri, Adrian and now your mom. I feel like you're about to crumble into a billion pieces and then all I will have left to my best friend is dust."

"Don't worry about Lissa it's just a lot to handle. I promise I will talk to you about everything once I wake up."

"But Rose once you wake up we will have to go see Robert and Victor," she winced once she mentioned Victor's name.

"I promise we can find time to talk Liss just not right now."

"Okay," she said quietly and placed a hand on mine while her compulsion started to work.

"There I didn't put much power into it but you should be asleep in a few minutes."

"Thanks Liss," I smiled at her timidly as she walked away to sit with Christian I thought about what she had said and realized that she was right; I had been through a lot lately.

Losing Dimitri over and over again and failing, my continuous near death experiences, having mixed feelings for Adrian, my tumbling relationship with my mother, and now even Lissa, my rock was starting to have problems. I knew that me and Liss would always be there for each other but still it was terrifying that maybe my life was falling apart. Maybe Lissa was right I was falling to pieces.

I was so drowned in my thoughts that I didn't realize that my father had come to sit next to me.

"Rose that wasn't nice what you said to your mother," he said softly. Wow who knew that big old tough Abe could be soft?

"It was true though," I muttered stubbornly. He sighed. "Maybe it was but you both said things that you shouldn't. I haven't told your mother your plan – obviously and she doesn't know about Dimitri but I really think you should tell her. No matter what you think she _does _care about you and that was the only reason she was mad. Seriously do you think that she would yell at you if she didn't care?" I was silent throughout his whole speech and I knew that he was waiting for me to say something.

"It just feels like she's using me. Like the only reason she does care –if she does that is and I'm not saying that she does- is that I may be endangering her bad ass reputation. She doesn't care about me or Lissa; just my career."

"But she _does _care. When you got back from Russia and when she contacted me there was true worry in her voice not just concern for her reputation or yours. She cares about your safety, about your well being and I think that the only reason that you don't like each other so much is because you're similar.

"Hold up me and her are _nothing alike." _I said thinking about the time Dimitri and I had such a similar conversation, what seems like an eternity ago.

"Yeah whatever Kiz," he said teasingly and ruffled my hair and then turned to go away. Wow. He did have a soft side a really soft side. That was weird. Wait a minute hold up what did Kiz mean?

"Hey dad wait!" I called out to him as he started to go sit somewhere else.

"Yes Rose?"

"What does kiz mean?"

"Daughter," he answered smiling.

"Oh one more thing," I said ruefully.

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

"Anytime Kiz," I smiled at him. There was so much going on in my head. Even if I didn't believe that my mother cared about me it was nice to know that at least one parent did. I was beginning to feel sleepy from Lissa's compulsion and yawned it would only be a matter of a couple more seconds now before I was under. While I waited for sleep to take me and the ghosts which were becoming more and more painful as our latitude went up I thought about mine and Abe's conversation and mine and Lissa's as well. Finally as my eyelids slumped I thought about all of the mean things that my mother and I had said and not only today but throughout my life. Then I thought about how recently we had been getting along. As the darkness became more and more profound there was a tiny shine of light, of hope. Maybe, just maybe _everything _would be alright. _Everything. _


	17. Author's note

**A/N : Hey guys, I was just wondering if anyone actually reads my story haha because if not I probably won't continue to write it. So please just leave a quick review if you want me to keep going. If you do I promise I will keep updating on my normal schedule.**

**Hugs and kisses,**

**-Catherine**


	18. Chapter 17

**Hey guys! I'm sorry for my dull moment earlier sometimes I have moments of doubt and I'm sorry that I brought that out on you guys I hope you forgive me.**

**Anyways here is another chapter today.**

**Woot! Two in one day how good am I? I am building up guys so please stick with me (:.**

**-Huggles-**

**Catherine  
**

My head pounded like I was being shot repeatedly. It was the ghosts. They came sauntering towards me tauntingly with their sad gloomy faces. They came nearer towards me and tortured me.

'_Rose' _they mouthed repeatedly. Make them go away! Make them go away! Just then I realized that I _could _make them go away that is if I slept. Obviously Lissa's compulsion hadn't been strong enough this time.

_Liss. _I groaned sending her a message through our bond. This proved that sometimes our bond was useful. Of course it was only sometimes that it was most of the time it was just a pain in the ass.

_Sorry Rose but there is someone who needs to speak to you._

_You did this?! Come on Liss you know how bad the headaches are!_

_Yeah I know but I will put you right back to sleep after you talk okay._

_Fine, _I said giving up and then I opened my eyes. I expected Lissa to be sitting next to me about to demand for details about what had happened lately but instead I saw myself looking down at an orange bob of hair. Ugh, great. It was my mother.

"Rose we need to talk," my mother said in a crisp voice.

Did we mother, really? I didn't think we needed to I mean I was perfectly okay with avoiding her for the rest of my life...

"There were things I shouldn't have said," my mother told me. Maybe this would go better than I thought; I mean I was agreeing with her so far. "And things you shouldn't have said either but the bottom line is that I love you Rose. I may not have been a very good mother and I know that it must have been so difficult for you over the past year but I am just doing my best and that's all I can do."

I stared dumbfounded at my mother while she waited for me to say something. Did she seriously just tell me that she loved me? Really? Even after everything and our relationship had started to improve she had _never _told me that she loved me. I continued pondering this until she snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Okay just one more thing Rose," my mother said more softly.

"Yeah?" I said still a little amazed.

"What are you up to? I promise I won't judge you although I know from experience that you have reason not to believe me..."

I thought over this, could I tell my mother? I mean I doubted that she could understand or even sympathize. When she had brought Dimitri down she had suspected me to kill him, she had depended on me and instead I had freed him for my own selfish reasons. So could I tell her? Would she take back everything that she had just said? I couldn't know for sure. But I had told my dad hadn't I? My dad whom I had only known for a couple of months yet I trusted him more than my mother whom I had known since birth? But I knew that Abe did understand at least I thought he did and even if he didn't he hadn't told anyone yet not even my mother. Could I do it? Would she be okay with it? But she had said that she wouldn't judge but would she judge? I knew that even if my mother controlled it she had a hard time keeping to her decisions just like me. _Just like me. _Shut up! I told the voice in my head but that voice wasn't Lissa. Ahh shit I was going crazy, just great. I breathed in a big gulp of air. I was going to have to tell her, after all if you couldn't trust your mother who could you trust? _Lissa, Christian, Eddie, Adrian, Abe, Oksana, Olena, Viktoria. _The voice in my head screamed again. It was meant to be a rhetorical question! I sighed this had to be from the lack of sleep and that was what I would convince myself of. I was _not _going crazy.

I sighed. "You really want to know?" I asked her, hoping that she would change her mind.

"Yes," she nodded. "I really do."

"Oka-"but my speech was cut short from a sudden explosion in my head and a sick feeling in my stomach. It seemed impossible that I could feel the nausea in my stomach when my head was exploding but I could feel it. I always thought that if you were in so much pain in one place you couldn't feel the other? But nope myth was wrong. I whipped out my silver stake quickly; the very one that my parents had given me as a graduation gift.

'They're coming Rose," the ghosts whispered. "They're here."

"Who's here?!" I screamed to them, what was going on?! But all they did was fade away. Great.

"There are strigoi here," I announced loud enough for everyone on the plane to hear. Immediately all of the guardians were in fighting stance and the moroi looked terrified; all except for Abe that is. Sydney just looked impatient I could have laughed at her expression if it wasn't such an awful situation.

"Strigoi can't get on her we are high above the clouds –no one not even strigoi can get that high- and we are going 4000 MPH. It is impossible to catch," he announced calmly.

"But there here! I can sense strigoi remember?! And to boot it off my head just exploded," I yelled frustrated.

"Maybe they snuck onto here before?" Oksana asked half hopefully.

"No I would have felt the nausea long before this."

"Okay then where does this leave us?" Adrian asked unaffected as normal by the tension in the atmosphere.

"I don't know how could they have gotten in?" I asked amazed. No one could jump that high it just wasn't possible. I looked down to see that as we lowered the nausea became worse.

"Abe get the pilot to fly higher I want to see something."

"Rose we are landing soon though and-"

"Do it," I commanded him giving him a glare that I knew anyone would be frightened –except him unfortunately because that was exactly where I had gotten it-. "

Although we both knew that he could have won if he wanted he went to speak to the pilot and to tell him to fly up. A few minutes later the nausea decreaed.

"Huh," I said. "I think that there are strigoi down below."

"I don't think you could sense them _that _far away Rose, I mean I know your amazing and all that but still don't you have to be within like 10 km?" Christian joked.

"I don't know Fire boy, but I think that if they are on the ground there must be _a lot _of strigoi waiting for us."

"So can we continue now?" Abe asked annoyed.

"I don't know if the strigoi are still down there I don't know if we can take them all and besides what are the chances of a large pack of strigoi being exactly where we were about to land? The chances are highly unlikely. I think that they knew we were coming." I concluded.

"But how would they have known?" Lissa gasped.

I shrugged. "Who cares? They know right? We are just going to have to keep flying."

"If you insist," my father said. "But you know that this will delay us further right. It might be too late."

Everyone had been watching us like it was a ping-pong match and over that last comment my mother exploded.

"Why does everyone know what's going on but me? Tell me now Rosemarie because I can't take this any longer!"

Did my mother really just lose her temper? I mean I know she gets angry all the time but I have never seen it when she had her guardians mask on obviously this was something she was dying to know.

"Take a seat mom," I told her awkwardly. She eyed me warily and I realized that this was the type of thing daughter's say to their parents when they're pregnant. Too bad my situation was a hell of a lot worse.

"Okay well obviously you know that me and Dimitri were together," I had told everyone once I had been back from Russia not really expecting anyone to care since he was now a strigoi. My mother nodded slowly, "Yes."

"Well as you know I hunted him down because I made a promise to him. A promise to him that I failed to keep," I told her.

"Yes but where are you going with this? Besides you killed Dimitri a month ago."

"Mom I'm getting to that," I reassured her. "Anyways when I was with Oksana, Mark and Abe Mark and Oksana claimed that they had met another spirit user who claimed to know how to bring strigoi back to their lives before. Anyways once Dimitri came to the school I put a spirit charmed ring on his finger and I saw a glance of his old self. The same thing had happened on the bridge with him."

"I don't understand Rose I mean he's dead now."

"No mom I couldn't do it. I let him go and now he is still alive –or undead- while I search for this spirit user; Robert Doru."

"Rose! How could you let him go?! They come first!"

"Mom you promised not to judge me!"

"But I never expected _this," _a look of disgust passed her features.

"Well you already promised so shut up because there is more," I told her impatiently.

I hadn't expected my mother to obey but she did so I moved on to telling her about the dreams and how Oksana and Lissa had founded Robert with Victor and that was why we were going to San Diego. After a while my mother accepted this.

"You're okay with it?" I asked her doubtfully.

"Well I'm definitely shocked but I already promised didn't I?" She winked at me and then we hugged. Whoa is this for real? When just 4 hours earlier we had been yelling at each other with hatred? It was pretty unbelievable. I looked around to see that everyone was doing their normal thing; Lissa and Christian were watching a movie, Adrian and Sydney were talking, Eddie and the other two guardians were firmly at their guard posts and Oksana had a distant look on her face – in Mark's head no doubt.

Suddenly Abe called out to me.

"Rose has the nausea passed any?"

"No," I said my hope sinking. "It's the same as when I first realized it."

He frowned. "What about the headache?"

"Yeah that's gone but that has been gone since it first exploded. Once they warned me they just sort of faded away like when I am inside wards, why?"

"Just wondering. The pilot says we are a far distance away now though so either your radar has become more intense or there are strigoi looking for us all the way from Oklahoma to California."

I sighed. "I suppose we should just go to San Diego."

"You sure? There could be a lot of strigoi there."

"Yeah but it seems that wherever we go there will be strigoi there. Maybe my radar has problems in the sky or something but maybe you should call in reinforcements just in case."

He nodded and suddenly he was on the phone using the intimidating tone from when I first met him.

"Look I need twenty of your best guardians waiting at my airport." He murmured quietly but harshly into his phone for a few minutes and then he snapped it shut.

"There will be twenty more guardians with us once we arrive at my airport."

"Your airport?" I asked incredulously.

"Moroi secrets," he winked at me.

"I'm going to sleep," I announced.

"Okay," Abe shrugged. "But we are going to land in around an hour." I nodded that was more than enough time.

"Liss? Can you help?"

"Yeah one second Rose," she placed her hand on my forehead and I was out immediately. She obviously put a lot more power into it than she had earlier. My eyelids drooped and then I was consumed by the darkness.


	19. Chapter 18

**Hey guys! I was planning on having this done for yesterday but then my friend came and picked me up for a party when I had like 3/4 of it done! So I hope you enjoy it!**

**-Catherine  
**

I opened my eyes and I was immediately overwhelmed with nausea. Ugh great. The nausea was a lot worse when there were only a few strigoi around it reminded me of the time when Dimitri was ... turned. I looked around and saw that no one was doing anything out of the ordinary, well it seemed that things couldn't be normal for too long in my world.

"Ab?" I asked, looking around to see where he was.

"Yes?" He said turning around from his seat.

"There are a lot of strigoi here," I told him. "This is just like the time when they attacked the academy."

Everyone seemed to catch my last sentence because everyone was up and giving each other worried glances.

"What's going on?" Oksana worried. "There are a lot of strigoi here, I can sense it."

"How do you know for sure?"

"Oksana we are still up in the air and I feel like I am going to throw up, come on work with me here." Oksana looked hurt as I finished my statement but I wasn't regretful; there was so much to do.

"Abe how many guardians did you said you called in again?"

"Around twenty, is that okay?"

"I can't be sure but I think that we will need a lot more if I'm sensing this right."

My mother was at my side.

"All the moroi should stay on here along with Eddie and Abe's two guardians."

"Come on I could help!" Christian insisted.

"No you couldn't," I glared at him which I thought for sure would shut him up. Unfortunately I was mistaken he seemed oblivious to my famous death-glare.

"I could, remember a few months ago!"

"No Christian! I'll just have to look after you and what if I fail? Lissa would kill me!"

He grumbled under his breath but I heard no more from him. Smart man.

"Okay we are going to land soon," Abe announced from the front of the jet.

"Okay where are we landing?"

"My airport, remember?"

"Yeah but where is that located?"

"Just in an old alley it is in a big building and when we go down we activate invisible mode."

"You have invisi-" I just shook it off. After all if there was one thing that I had learned about my father was to never underestimate him.

I looked down and saw that we were heading swiftly towards the ground. Underneath I saw the big signs of Los Angeles among other things in California. I had never been to California but I could see why Victor had chosen it has is hiding place. After all who would think that he was just acting like a normal 40 year old man hiding in California? I didn't think that anyone –especially not Queen Bitch- could ever come up with something like that.

As we headed towards the ground I saw that Abe was right; it was an abandoned alley. There were a few broken down shops and I knew for sure that some serious serial killing and drugs probably went on down here. Of course that never bothered me after all I was a kick ass guardian. I expected the jet to speed up as we neared the ground but instead it just went faster and directly down. It was like we were going at the speed of light. My senses were fast enough to see that the top of the enormous building opened like a box before we went down into an airport and really that was what it looked like. Of course there was no baggage and we were the only plane but there were many people here. My eyes counted them all as we neared the platform on where the jet would be landing. There were 27 people there. The nausea intensified.

"Ugh Abe?"

"Yes?"

"How many people did you say that you sent?"

"Twenty, why?"

"Exactly twenty?"

"I don't know maybe a couple more, a couple less why?"

"Because there are 27 people here."

As we neared the ground I saw one of the men. He was 6'7 and when he turned around I saw that it was Dimitri. Not again, my mental voice groaned but I didn't have time to think about my own problems.

"There are strigoi here! Dimitri!" I yelled to whoever could hear me. Immediately all the moroi and Sydney were rushed to the back by Eddie and Pavel; one of Abe's guardians. Everyone left willingly except Abe.

"I should be able to protect my little girl!" he yelled. "Not the other way around!"

No one listened to him though; everyone just rushed him to the back safely with the others.

"Eddie, Pavel stay here and keep them safe," I said without a glance in their direction.

"Mom," I said turning to her. "Come on let's go."

She nodded agreeing and we walked out silently onto the platform. I looked around at each of the faces, twenty one were guardians and six strigoi we could easily overcome them. I was surprised though that the guardians had not attacked the strigoi yet after all it was fairly easy to tell the difference between guardians and strigoi. Just then I saw that all of them were making direct eye contact with Dimitri. Shit the bastard was using compulsion. Fuck.

"Hello Roza," Dimitri said taking a few steps towards me and my mother. "I had a feeling that you might be joining me today."

"How did you find out?" I spat at him. It wasn't that big of a deal – the big deal was that he was here but still I thought Abe was the big bad guy that everyone was afraid of? I really doubted that someone had the guts to go against him. He nodded behind him and just then Victor stepped out of the darkness. He was not strigoi though and behind him I saw the guy from when Oksana was in his head. It was Robert. I gasped we had finally found what we were looking for yet how on earth were we going to get it? Robert looked even sicklier than before and his cheek bones were sticking out. He was in rags and I could see through his shirt that his ribs were deeply profound.

Just great I thought in my head. It was twenty eight against two; the guardians were still under compulsion and I didn't count Robert as part of twenty eight after all he looked like he wanted to get away and even if he wanted to fight us he wouldn't be able to do much. Chances of survival? Slim to none but I would still fight after all my best friend was in there and she was depending on me to protect her.

"How did _you _find out?"

"I have my ways," he winked at me. Ugh that creep _winked _at me. That did it. I wanted to rip every bone in his body apart after everything he did to Lissa and I and Robert.

"How dare you do this to people? To Lissa, me, your brother Robert and your own daughter!" I screeched at him.

"Oh good you know Robert. That's tremendous that means we can skip right through the introductions."

"Why are you doing this? I mean I knew you were evil but I never thought that you would team up with Dimitri!"

"Well we all do what we need to get what we want, right?" he shrugged. "If I have to make an alliance with a strigoi then so be it."

"But you realize that Dimitri is here to kill everyone? You will never get Lissa!"

"Actually Rose I beg to differ that I will. You see everyone here today will die except for you and Lissa."

"Nope, they won't actually."

"Really Rose? It's not like you to be optimistic I mean you're surely outnumbered so if you don't mind me asking what is your plan."

"None of your business," I gritted through my teeth. Besides I didn't really have a plan unless your instincts counted as one.

"Well let's get on with this I don't have all day." He looked at Dimitri and I was surprised to see that Dimitri followed his orders he wasn't one to follow, more to lead.

"Wait!" I nearly begged. "Why do you want Lissa I mean surely Robert can heal you?"

"I'm afraid that is none of your business Rose."

"Attack," Dimitri said in a calm voice. It reminded me of all the times I had seen Lissa use compulsion but this was so much more violent. All of the guardians came at us at once, I was surprised to see that the strigoi never came with them but I guess they figured that twenty one guardians was enough to illuminate the Hathaways. That was where they were wrong.

They all came at me; trying to hit, stun and even kill me. I was surprised at the last I thought that Robert said I would live but I guessed that being killed was better than the other fate Dimitri had in mind for me. As they came at me I knocked them out; I didn't want to kill them after all once they were knocked out and woke up again they would no longer be under compulsion. They were strong but I was stronger after all I had killed who knows how many strigoi when I was just a novice – and I was a guardian now. They all had different moves and I figured that Dimitri was getting them to use their own techniques that they had been taught. It was like a rhythm; block, punch, kick, dodge, block, punch, kick, dodge. It repeated over and over for what seems like hours. I never looked in my mother's direction to see if she was okay; she could handle herself plus she wouldn't have wanted that. The last one came at me and he was harder he kicked me and got in a few good hits but in the end I won.

I looked up panting and saw that we had done it! My mother and I had knocked out every one of the twenty one guardians I felt like jumping for joy but I knew that there were still seven strigoi left. I whipped out the stake that my parents had given me and held it tightly in my right hand. '_The first trait of a warrior is courage_' the thought ran through my mind over and over and I knew that I would have to do what was necessary if it came down to killing Dimitri.

"You have improved Roza," Dimitri complimented as he came closer and closer towards me. I did not let him get any closer to the jet though and I walked towards him instead leaving my back unprotected.

"I suppose," I shrugged. "Well what are you waiting for, let's get this over with."

"Yes lets," we both went into fighting mode and four strigoi circled us not allowing me an escape. Shit I wasn't going to come out of this alive. We were pacing each other while the strigoi watched my unprotected back. What were they waiting for? Come on kill me already! I knew though that they must have just been there has bodyguards because they hadn't done anything yet. I heard fighting from my mother's direction and I knew that the two other strigoi had her. Although I didn't worry what was two strigoi to bad ass Hathaway? I was suddenly enthralled in our dance and it was beautiful. It was like a leopard and a panther. While Dimitri was the leopard – super strong, graceful and fast I was the panther just managing to keep up with him. The nausea was long forgotten as we began after all who cared if you were sick or not when this was a life or death situation?

Dimitri lunged at me almost giving me a good blow to the head but I ducked right in time trying to sweep him off of his feet. I took his momentary distraction to my advantage and quickly staked one of the strigoi behind me. I punched Dimitri swiftly in the gut but he was up again fast and I took a sharp blow to my head; that would hurt in the morning. I kicked high but he grabbed my leg gripping me so that he now had me hanging by the leg. I screamed in agony as his grip tightened but then he was clenching his stomach while I was back on my feet. I gave my mother a thankful glance as I quickly staked one other strigoi while she staked the other. Now there was only Dimitri.

Could I stake him after coming this far? I mean here Robert Doru was standing right before me and I would have to kill him now? I squeezed my eyes tight preparing to stake him square in the heart but as I swung my steak forward all my stake hit was thin air. I opened my eyes quickly, had I missed? Just then I saw that my mother had her stake in hand as well but instead of aiming for his heart she had aimed for his head.

"Go quickly Rose! Get Robert and hurry up he won't stay down for long," she ordered.

I turned away from her and ran towards Robert, as I approached Victor stepped in my way but quickly I knocked him out.

"Come on!" I whispered impatiently to him.

"Why should I c-come with you?" he stuttered.

"Because we won't hurt you," I told him. Robert looked doubtful so I continued. "Plus we have three more spirit users; one is Oksana."

As I mentioned Oksana's name I saw a glint of hope flash in Robert's eyes.

"Oksana?"

"Yes but come quickly." He limped towards me and I picked him up and ran him towards the jet as fast as my legs could move. As I boarded I saw that my mother was still aboard ... along with Dimitri. My mother had rope that she was tying him up with to the side of the plane. I tried to raise one eyebrow at her –but failed- so instead I voiced my thoughts aloud.

"You do know that plain rope won't hold any strigoi- let alone Dimitri."

"This is special rope Rose, I'm not stupid. It has been charmed with the four elements."


	20. Chapter 19

**Hey guys I see there was a little bit of confusion about the ropes anyways I hope that this clears up any confusion that you may have had. If this doesn't help though just leave a review or PM me : ).**

**Anyways I hope you like this chapter! Oh so close to see what Robert has in store for us. Maybe if I get a lot of reviews today I will write another chapter hehehe ;]. I feel so devious.**

**Also my spell check in word and me and this spell check have a lot of confrontation - usually I spell it like this one and then in word it says incorrect and such. Anyways if you notice any huge mistakes please let me know so that I can fix it. Also let me know if you are liking the story so far and if you think something should be added that I am forgetting.**

**P.S. Feel free to ask me about anything that you are confused about and hopefully I will answer your question further in the story and/or PM you.  
**

I looked across the huge jet to see the love of my life tied up and unconscious. He almost looked like how I remembered him –except for the pale skin-. I sighed closing my eyes; it was still beyond me that ropes could hold any strigoi let alone my badass strigoi even if my mother had explained it to me briefly. I thought back remembering my mother's words, crisp and clear.

"_They're charmed with the four elements."_

"_How can ropes be charmed?" I asked curiously. After all ropes were ropes._

"_Just like stakes and wards; there are four moroi of the different element and then they charm it. It is a new weapon that the moroi are making although I can't believe that they never thought of it before," my mother admitted._

_I shrugged accepting this._

Besides the fact that there were now enchanted ropes I couldn't believe that my mother had brought Dimitri here in the first place. After all I had been thinking that she would kill him as quick as any other strigoi but instead she had taken him with us. I crossed the room to where my mother was guardian Dimitri along with Pavel.

"Mom?" I asked warily.

"Yes?" my mother seemed startled at my sudden approach.

"Why did you take Dimitri with us? I mean you could have easily staked him."

My mother paused for a minute probably thinking about how she would phrase this.

"Mom just spit it out," I told her impatiently.

"I just knew that even if I am disgusted about you being in love with a strigoi."

I was about to defend myself! I was not in love with a strigoi I was in love with Dimitri and he just happened to be a strigoi at the time but he was in there – I would know I thought thinking back to the times that he visited my dreams. God how I hoped he would visit again soon. My mother continued obviously unaffected by my pondering.

"I knew that you wouldn't be able to live without him in any other form and so I decided that I had no other options he would have to come."

"Thanks Mom," I said hugging her, as I leaned towards her though the nausea increased significantly. Ugh, why was this so bad? The nausea had never been this bad before and now there was only one strigoi here, right? I couldn't understand why but hopefully Robert had the answer to that question. I glanced over at the frail man who was now sleeping quietly. Oksana was sitting beside him and was studying him endlessly. I walked over to her quietly; determined not to wake the skinny man and sat on the other side of her.

"Oksana?" I whispered to her quietly.

"Yes Rose?"

"Do you think Robert will be able to help us? I mean he seems a little crazy and what if what he was saying wasn't true? When you and Mark knew him I mean."

"I don't know Rose. I was talking to him for a little while earlier and he seemed fine, maybe this is just the result spirit has on him just like Adrian had his moments?" Oksana shrugged. "I don't know any of the answers Rose but I promise you that if anyone can help us it's him."

I smiled at her thankfully.

"Oksana? There was something else I wanted to ask you."

Oksana looked over at me questioning my new tone of voice but nodded.

"You see my nausea is crazy and I don't know why. I mean there is only one strigoi here yet this nausea feels like there should be at least fifty – maybe one hundred."

"That I have no idea of – nothing like that has ever occurred to Mark but perhaps Robert has the answer to that as well."

I thanked Oksana for her help and got up and started to walk away, it seemed that so many of my questions were relying on Robert for the answer but what if he didn't have the answer? What if he was always crazy? I sat down next to Adrian and laid my head on the seat.

"Put me to sleep Adrian," I commanded him.

"I don't know little dhampir it might be quite amusing to watch you beg. You can give it a shot if you like."

I turned my head at him to glare.

"Just knock me out Adrian I don't want to have to deal with reality here and now."

"But why not? You've got Prince Charming and the cure you should be jumping for joy."

"Really, because what if this 'cure' doesn't work? What if there isn't even a cure? Then I have to bring myself to kill the love of my life and then I have to try and live my life like nothing ever happened and even if there is a cure how do we know for sure that it's accessible?"

Adrian half stared at me in shock but I could see that the other half was reading my aura. I could only imagine what it looked like right now, probably deep black and a crimson red or maybe green I assumed. Deep black because well it's always black and I'm mad right now, red because I'm angry, green for frustration? I didn't really know what color it was right now, I shrugged what did it really matter?

"Adrian," I paused calming myself down; a new thought had just popped into my head.

"Yes?" he said warily, looking at me like I was about to explode at any second. Haha very funny Adrian, I could control my temper when I needed to – most of the time.

"Do strigoi have auras?"

"Yes little dhampir, of course they do even the dead have auras."

The dead? No way really? How could that be possible, after all I thought only the shadow-kissed could see the dead?

"You can see the dead? Really? What do they look like?"

"I can't exactly see _them _little dhampir only their auras."

"How does that work?"

"Quite easily actually if they are close enough I just see their aura. It is complete gold actually."

"Gold?" What the hell shouldn't someone dead be black? "Well it is purely their soul you see. There spirit. Usually they are gold but other times they are black –completely black- except for their emotions obviously."

"What why?"

"I don't know," he shrugged taking a sip of his whiskey. "If you want my guess it's because it is purely their spirit –just like how Lissa, Oksana, Robert and I are completely gold."

"And how I'm completely black?"

"Actually you're not completely black little dhampir – your more of a very dark purple and greys but not completely black."

I paused at him, what on earth?

"Why not? I mean I always thought I was black because I was shadow-kissed."

"No little dhampir you're not black because you are alive."

"Then why are you completely gold?" I shot back at him.

"Well most of the time I'm completely gold but when I have different emotions my aura changes a bit as well. The dead never change."

"But why are the dead black or gold? I mean shouldn't they be all gold or all black – not some black and some gold?"

"I suppose it depends on their life little dhampir. If they were nice they are gold and black then they are not but how am I supposed to know?" Adrian shrugged. "I've never died."

"Anyways I was wondering what Dimitri's aura was like."

Adrian looked at over at Dimitri and then me carefully and I wondered why it couldn't be that bad could it? I mean come on I know he was –is- the love of my life but I can handle the truth no matter how bad it is.

"Just like yours," he finally said calmly with absolutely no emotion.

"What?" I stuttered. "What do you mean?"

"Dimitri's aura is just like yours it's purple and grays although it is very dark – just like when the darkness overwhelms you."

I looked down at my hand where the new ring that Lissa made for me was, it helped take the darkness away – the darkness that Lissa got and I took from her. Could this ring really help Dimitri? Could spirit be the answer to all of this? I thought back to the two times that Dimitri had worn a ring like this. Both times a small part of this former self came back, could that happen again? Maybe I wouldn't need Robert after all –although we had him now anyways- but maybe just maybe I could find a way.

"Adrian, would you help me out with a little experiment?" I asked him grinning.

"Anything for my favorite dhampir," he smirked. He obviously knew that I was up to something. I smiled at him and crossed the room and slid the tiny ring off my finger. As soon as I did the ghosts pounded on me like crazy. The ring did not make me completely oblivious to the ghosts but as soon as I slid that off they were everywhere. I gritted my teeth in an attempt not to howl in pain.

I was only a few feet away from Dimitri now and I walked over to him slowly.

"Mom? Is he completely out of it?"

"He should be but don't get to close he could awake at any moment."

"Would touching him result in that?"

"Rose! Don't even think about it!"

"Too late," I grinned at her and then reached for his tied up hand quickly and slid on the ring. As soon as I touched him his eyes popped open and he smiled at me.

"Why hello Roza how nice to see you; too bad I am going to kill you now."

"Nice to see you too; too bad that you are tied up with ropes and those three guardians with stakes are guarding you. What a shame, actually it is quite delightful," I smiled playing along.

He growled. "You really think that ropes can hold me?"

"Nope, I don't."

Dimitri looked confused so I continued on. "But these are enchanted ropes and they cannot be broken by anything rather than the four elements – like the stake."

Dimitri's eyes looked down at my hip and saw my stake sticking out. I knew that he would go at any costs to get one of them; although his hands were tied up.

"Now Dimitri I don't want to untie your hands so any more suggestions on where I could put this?"

I said swirling the ring around my finger. I turned to Lissa and saw that she had a beaded necklace around her neck. Perfect.

"Liss?" She turned her head towards me and her eyes widened once she saw that Dimitri was awake; she had been too far up to hear our conversation. "Can you come here?"

"Yeah sure," she stood up and walked down the aisle with all the grace of a doe.

"What do you need Rose?" she smiled at me but her eyes were on Dimitri and they were terrified.

"Do you have a spare necklace?"

She pointed towards the one she was still wearing and took it off.

"Here have this," Lissa said quietly giving it to me. "You sure Liss? You will never see it again."

"Positive Rose just do whatever scheme you were planning."

I chuckled at her choice of words and slid the ring onto the silver thread like a pendant. Then I wrapped it around Dimitri's neck like the necklace that it was.

"Adrian!" I called out.

"What's his aura like now?"

"Exactly like yours when you are wearing it Rose."

"Do you know why?"

"Sorry my little dhampir I may know a lot but I don't know everything."

My face fell and my expression grew somber until my question was answered but instead of Adrian or even Oksana that I heard it was Robert.

"It is because they are both undead."


	21. Chapter 20

**Woot! Suspense must be killing you guys LOL. I hate to say it but although this answers many questions it will just mount the suspense. Anyways let me know what you think and review! I am not posting what happens until I get a bunch of reviews! Hehehe I'm evil aren't I?**

**Anyways only one way to solve the mystery - review!**

**Love,**

**Catherine  
**

All of the heads in the room turned to snap at Robert Doru. What does he mean? Surely I am not strigoi after all here I am alive – but that was the part that he was debating; was I alive? I mean strigoi could only be killed three ways does that mean I could only be killed three ways too? But no I have been hurt badly other ways. Well I suppose that I won't ever get my thoughts aloud unless I speak them.

"What do you mean? I am not a strigoi surely."

"No but I never said that you were a strigoi just undead."

"But that's what being undead is!"

I saw that everyone was watching our conversation –including Dimtri. I cast a glance at my mother and as quick as lighting she connected her stake with his head bringing him unconscious.

"No, being undead means having your soul separated from your body. When you died your soul went up to heaven or down to hell; depending on your life anyways it is separated from your body. When someone brought you back," Robert looked around the room of spirit users curiously. That's when Lissa pointed towards herself. "When she brought you back your soul and body merged as one again. With a strigoi it is quite different you see since your body never really dies your soul does not leave your body but instead becomes trapped in your heart." Well that made sense, since Dimitri was always lonely. "With a strigoi your body and soul never merge as one again – since the only way to free the soul is to kill the body. But still in both consequences your soul has been separated from your body although in a strigoi's case the soul and body have not been merged again – or ever."

I looked down at my feet sadly. _The only way to free the soul is to kill the body. _"So it's true then?" I asked him. "There is no other way I can save him?"

"Don't give up yet child there _is _a way actually but it is very dangerous."

I looked over at Dimitri's unconscious face; he almost looked like his old self without the eyes and the pale skin. If I just closed my eyes I could see him perfectly the way he used to be, the way when he contacted me through my dreams.

"What do I have to do?" I breathed.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Adrian interrupted. "I want to know why their auras are the same, I mean I know they are both undead and yadda yadda but why are they purple and in the shadows? I mean Rose's soul and body are together now so why is it still dark?"

"Rose is still dark because even if part of her soul is in her body and allows her to live the other half is in the shadows allowing her to have a connection with the rest of the undead and the dead. This allows some of the shadow kissed to see ghosts and contact strigoi souls although I doubt that you have been experiencing either."

"I have actually," I exclaimed and had the pleasure of seeing Robert's eyebrows jump. "Why am I here?" Robert said in a sudden mysterious voice. "Why are we all here? We should all be apart or together but not like this, end this war and fight for peace."

I looked over at Robert curiously afraid that I was getting my leg pulled, what was going on? He hadn't seemed crazy at first but maybe this was all about to change. He reminded me of Adrian when he was at the ski lodge that one time could it just be a random result in spirit? I watched Robert warily until he came to his senses.

"Anyways where was I?" he asked. I started at him in shock surely he remembered what just happened?

"I-I can see ghosts and strigoi souls," I managed to utter.

"Oh right well when you do this you forge a greater bond between you and the dead as well as the undead, if this bond becomes too big you could easily get sucked in and become separated from your soul forever. So if you want my advice? Stop contacting them."

That had been Mark's advice too but I couldn't _stop. _They warned off strigoi and let me reach Dimitri. I couldn't not talk to him; soul Dimitri was all I had left to keep me going.

"Anyways how do I save the strigoi?"

"Wait a minute why do you even care?" Robert asked warily.

"My ... lover was turned." I managed to stutter out. "What's it to you? I thought you were going to help me."

Lissa placed a calming hand on my shoulder and reassured me.

_He his helping Rose. Remember he doesn't know anything about you yet he was probably just – well actually I don't know why he was telling you ever little bit of information he knew._

"I will help you," Robert said. "But I don't know why yet. You see all I know now –or before- was that you were shadow kissed and I was intrigued by that but now I understand. Don't bite my head off."

I had to laugh at that, this crazy man was practically telling me not to bite _his _head off. It was pretty hilarious in my own mind and soon I was choking out tears. Now everyone was looking at me like I was crazy and that just made me laugh more. I laughed with tears streaming down the sides of my face.

"Sorry," I chuckled. "That just ... reminded me of something." I excused myself.

"Thank you Robert! You don't know how much this means to me, I can't live without him." I managed.

"So how do you know each other I mean surely I could have the pleasure of hearing your story?"

His request surprised me but of course I did not refuse, after all this was a one shot deal.

"He brought me back to the academy," I started. "Lissa and I had run away because scary things kept happening with spirit and she didn't know what was going on. Anyways we left the academy and lived with humans. That is until he brought us back. Lissa hadn't fed for a couple of days so that was what we were doing when they came. I saw him outside and the cat shied away so immediately we tried to run for it. Of course with me being so weak I couldn't run at my full strength and they got us easily." I paused for a moment.

"Wow," Robert said admiringly. "You let your friend feed off you and risked your career for her?"

I shrugged. "That's what friends do right? I mean if I'm sure that if it were me she would do the same."

"I've just never seen a friendship so strong before – or a friendship at all. I lived with my grand-mother until I was twenty two when she died and then I went to live with Victor. Since being at Victor's he kept me prisoner pretty much always using my spirit. At the time I thought he was a friend in need but of course now I see him differently. All he wanted was power and eventually he got it. He even managed to get me to get him out of jail."

As he said that last sentence outrage filled me. "How could you? Do you know what this he did to Lissa?" I growled at him, my temper flaring.

"I'm sorry but I regret that decision every day and if I could go back in time I would. He had put me under his spell and threatened me, I had to do it."

I sighed trying to release my anger at him.

"Anyways I am just shocked that you are so close, please continue," he said nodding to me.

"The school was going to send me away but then he said that he would mentor me and I got to stay. Our friendship grew and eventually it was stolen kisses and such. We tried to deny our relationship between us and others but eventually we decided that we couldn't stop this love we both had. One night we decided that we were going to give up fighting our own urges and would announce it at graduation, we had everything settled. Then strigoi attacked the academy and he got captured by a strigoi; we had thought they were all gone but this one had been hiding in the bushes. Anyways I saw him then getting gripped. I screamed for him but I was held back," I didn't bother mentioning my mother's name since it would probably only bring guilt. "Then he was turned."

I hadn't realized that my voice had grown as quiet as just my breath but he had obviously heard everything. Enhanced vampire senses remember?

"That's tragic," Robert said solemnly. "But hopefully we can get him back."

I smiled at him. "Your helping us?"

"Of course!" he exclaimed joyously. "I already said that didn't I?"

I nodded at him.

"Anyways the concept is quite simple all you have to do is merge the soul and body together again."

Right easy; that is if I had any idea how to do that, after all I was guessing that spirit wouldn't work hear but then again maybe it would.

"So how do you do that?" I probed.

"Well as I told you earlier the soul is captured right?"

I nodded.

"So first of all we need to puncture his heart – with a stake of course but we cannot allow it to kill the body otherwise he will die."

"So we don't stick it in very far?"

"No! Just as far as you would if you were trying to kill him because if not it won't completely free him and he will always be strigoi, we will need him to be healing at the same time with spirit."

Robert looked into the faces of those surrounding us.

"I don't think we will have any problem with that though."

I smiled at him and nodded to continue.

"Anyways once the soul is free, darkness will still be encasing his body and if we don't get rid of that it will never allow us to send the soul back in."

"Darkness?" I questioned. "What do you mean?"

"The darkness is similar to what spirit users get from the use of spirit, what the shadow-kissed take from them. Actually it is the same except strigoi have way more than that. It is pure evil and I would say it is a thousand times worse than the worse a spirit user could get."

He looked towards me. "This is where you come in. The darkness must be sucked away – like how you take it from Lissa. It could be too much for you to manage and you may end up-"

I interrupted him. "Becoming a strigoi?" I guessed.

"No, your soul will not be captured so you will not become a strigoi. You may end up dying, end up in a coma or go crazy. Of course there is a slight change that none of these things will happen to you. Slight but there."

I nodded. I would do whatever it takes to have my Dimitri back besides being a strigoi was worse than any of the above I would have to risk it for Dimitri. He would do it for me, that I was positive.

"Okay, what else?"

"Well now that the soul is free we need to get it back in there. This is where I come in. I have a power that is similar to what the shadow kissed can do but I can manipulate the souls. I could make them do my bidding or make them move where ever I want. It takes a lot out of me but if Dimitri doesn't get too far away before I get to him and you suck the darkness out then I should be able to do it."

"Okay so kill him, heal him, suck the darkness out and send his soul into his body, am I right?" I said sarcastically.

"Close but no, you can't kill him – you _have _to save him."

"But if I have to punch in the stake all the way how do I do that?"

"The spirit users will have to be healing before you stake him just holding on to his life a little. If not it's all over."

"Okay when do we do this?"

"Actually I forgot one thing we have to do this tonight."

"Why?"

"Because it is a sun eclipse tonight and the only way that we can save him is if we have enough light possible."

So it was a one shot deal then. One single try and if there were any mistakes it was all over.

"Okay," I said trying to keep my composure. "We should tell the others."


	22. Author's note 2

**Okay guys so I just wrote the next chapter and it made me cry! LOL. **

**I hope it has the same affect on you guys! I really want to post it but first I want to see what you guys thought of the last chapter. Loved it, hated it, gross? Let me know!**

**Anyways I will be posting soon enough but I want to build the suspense LOL. The next chapter is sort of short but eh I liked it but then again I can be sort of vain haha.**

**So let me know and the faster you review the faster I will be posting it : D.**

**xoxoxox,**

**Catherine**


	23. Chapter 21

**I hope that this is as good as I think it is, LOL. I sometimes tend to hold back everything I am truly thinking when I write intense scenes haha. I cried when writing this so I hoppe I get the same reaction out of you guys!**

**Let me know how you reacted!**

**Also I was wondering if I should change the title maybe to something a little more original? Let me know if you have any ideas!**

**Love,**

**Catherine  
**

I had my stake in my hand as I prepared to cross the corner and stake the one I loved. My panting was heavy – no doubt a result of my nerves but I tried to level my breathing and I prayed to god that it would not wake Dimitri. Lissa, Adrian and Oksana were waiting on the other side preparing to hold on to Dimitri and start healing him at a seconds notice. Robert was waiting as well but for other reasons – to hold onto Dimitri's soul while I tried to suck the darkness out of him. My mother and Eddie were there as well; in case Dimitri decided to wake up.

After Robert and I made the plans we went to tell the others about what he knew. I still did not understand how he knew everything about the subject but I made a mental note to ask him if I survived this. What horrible last thoughts to be having before I tried to save my soul mate and possibly die. _Breathe. _I told myself, I would be okay and even if I wasn't Dimitri would be, hopefully. I hadn't told Lissa or Adrian about the possible outcomes of saving Dimitri because I knew that if I did they would never stop me despite I would try anyways.

Robert had told me to wait exactly five seconds before the sun completely covered the moon to stake him and then I would have to be lighting quick and start to suck the darkness out of him exactly when the sun covered the moon. Robert had said that the sun would stay like this for exactly twenty four hours but I would have to start exactly on the dot. If not it wouldn't work. I counted down the seconds as I watched the sun close in on the moon. _10, 9,_ - I bent my knees and lunged outwards. I was in front of Dimitri in a flash. _8_, _7, _- I swung my stake forward hoping for exactly the right timing. I saw the three spirit users hands flash out and start to heal right before my stake penetrated his skin. I also saw his eyes flash open. _Noooo. _I would have to stake him now or else he would end up killing my best friend. My stake penetrated his skin sending blood everywhere but I didn't have time to worry about anything and I tried with all of my being to pull the darkness away from him.

I reached out with my mind but it was harder since I was not bonded to Dimitri like I was to Lissa. _Shit I should have staked earlier. _I thought mentally but I had no time to dwell on that. I reached out with my mind feeling a not so familiar presence and grabbed the darkness. As it drowned me I wanted to cry for help; it was smothering me. It made all of my emotions go hectic and I wanted to rip out someone's throat. I settled for taking away the darkness.

I heaved trying to separate the darkness and him. _It's me you want take me. _The darkness hurt like one of my migraine's from the ghosts but intensified by five million times. It stung my brain like a hundred thousand needles sticking sharply and letting the blood pour out. The only thing that kept me going was the thought that I was so close to saving Dimitri, just so close.

I opened my eyes to find tears streaming down my face while I screamed for it to stop all I wanted was for this pain to end but I knew that wasn't true if it was I wouldn't be doing this. _Take it away Rose, _I whispered to myself. _Take it away. _I continued to take away anything and everything that was guarding his soul –or mind whatever it is that the darkness was torturing.

After several hours the darkness grew familiar. Although the pain was just as bearable as when I started – and my emotions still a wreck but I grew used to it and I kept reminding myself that this was all for him, it would be worth it. I wrenched the darkness out of him with all of my strength. I made my physical strength go up into my mind and I pretended that I was fighting except for instead of giving blows I was taking away everything hurtful. _Take it away. _The darkness was overwhelming and I tried so hard to fight against it. It was worth it, I reminded myself when the pain was smothering again. I couldn't breathe with this darkness but I had to. It reminded me of when I thought Dimitri was dead. _I can't breathe without you but I have to. _Tears welled in my eyes remembering that sad time and the even harder time when I found out that he was strigoi. This would never happen again, I would never lose him again. I continued taking it from him and the needles continued stabbing my brain but soon the needles came with more than that – acid, fire, punch, kick. I felt like all of these horrible things together all on my brain. I screamed this was horrible no one should have to do this; even me. This is your choice Rose it will be worth it in the end; that is if I survived this.

I could understand what Robert meant by the people who did this going crazy - the pain would definitely be implanted in my brain forever and I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to evacuate it. It would always be there. Maybe it would be better off dying and giving up. _No!_ I screamed mentally at myself. I couldn't let that happen not after everything I had been fighting for. Besides Lissa needed me, Adrian needed me, Mom needed me, Abe needed me, Viktoria, Olena, Oksana, Mark, Eddie. I was needed and I couldn't give up despite my own wants.

I grabbed at his mind again remembering why I was doing this. This was all for Dimitri. I could do that and if he lived the world could go on. I would be able to go and live in heaven – where I belonged. I would be okay up there and safe and I would be able to see Dimitri live his life. After everything that I have experienced how could I not believe in an afterlife? After all I had seen ghosts first hand but even if I did believe in the afterlife did that mean I would go to heaven? After all I had committed several kills in my life among other sins. Then I did something that I never ever would have thought possible for Rose Hathaway to do – I prayed. I asked for forgiveness and I prayed for this pain to stop and I prayed most of all that Dimitri would be okay and that everyone would be okay without me because I knew certainly that I couldn't keep up in this world any longer. I wasn't made for it and I was supposed to leave years ago in that crash. That's what god wanted.

I let one lonely wistful tear trail down my cheek as the furious ones raced down towards my chin. Soon Dimitri would be okay, I could feel it. After all how long had I been at this now? The sudden thought pulsed throughout my brain I only had 24 hours to begin with what if I hadn't finished and my day was up? I put all of my energy into wrapping my brain around Dimitri's darkness. I focused it like an elastic band or my arms. I covered it completely and brought it in. This was what I had been doing for who knows how long but this time I tried to cover every little tiny part of it and I knew immediately that it worked. _It worked. _I knew this because as I tried to reach out again nothing was there – all I felt was emptiness, nothing. My brain still throbbed and I knew that this pain was still unimaginable as when I was still sucking the darkness. One side of me wanted to kill, it wanted to see war and it wanted everything to be destroyed. It wanted to fight just to fight and it wanted everything for a selfish reason. I knew that this must be the darkness finally contacting my emotions but I never allowed it to contact _me. _It could not have me I was fighting for so long and I would not give up. I was a fighter.

That was when I decided to open my eyes. I could feel the eyes of my friends and family on me but I only had eyes for the man lying in front of me. He was laying there quietly with his eyes closed and he almost looked peaceful – asides from my stake lying in his heart. I closed my eyes inhaling all of this, what if I had been too early? Too late? What if my stake had been in too hard, what if they couldn't heal him enough? What if all the darkness I had been taking had been darkness from a left behind creature. I looked up at Robert and he nodded. I gripped my stake and the words coursed through my brain. _The first trait of a warrior is courage. _I had courage, I knew that but I had used all my courage in what I had just done. I tightened my grip on the stake and took my last ounce of self and pulled up. Nothing happened for a moment and I looked up at Robert to see his face in a far away place and then I felt a heart thundering beneath me. Until then I had not realized that I had been lying across Dimitri's chest. I looked down at his familiar face and I saw his pale strigoi skin turn to that tan color which I loved. I looked at his closed eyelids wishing for the one thing in the world that I loved the most.

It appeared that god didn't hate me after all because he answered my prayers. That was when Dimitri opened _his _eyes. Those wonderful brown warm curious kind generous eyes that I adored with everything I had in my heart and soul.

"Dimitri," I breathed looking into his eyes memorizing every aspect of them. The ways the freckles danced in them and how they were such a deep, dark chocolate brown. The way the shades changed in his eyes. His soul didn't do him justice to the real thing.

"Roza," he smiled. That was when I decided to let death take me.

**Dimitri POV**

The weirdest sensation flooded through my body. I couldn't describe it was just like a dose of happiness. It was liquid happiness and sunshine. Little girls and butterflies, it was every good thing in this world possible and then _everything _came to me. I recognized what has happened in the past few months; becoming strigoi, killing, capturing Rose, on the jet everything but that wasn't the only thing I remembered going into my Roza's dreams and talking to her, I remembered traveling a lonely road for ever so long only to see shadows. It was like the two parts of me merged and I remembered and for the memories that didn't have emotions they had emotions. I felt angry, sad for everything I had done as a strigoi yet my emotions with my Roza registered as thoughts.

I felt like me again. But I couldn't be me without my Roza. I opened my eyes to see my wish come true. Her face was soaked in blood, sweat and tears but once I opened on my eyes the expression on her face was – happy? I couldn't be sure because underneath that I saw pain and her eyes looked half-crazed while the other half looked joyous. Beneath all of the blood, sweat and tears and all her other emotions she looked as beautiful as ever.

I looked at her face rememorizing every aspect of her, her beautiful dark brown eyes, her luscious mouth when I kissed her, the way she laughed and just the smallest of dimples appeared and oh her hair. I looked into her eyes and saw that she was doing the same thing.

"Dimitri," she breathed and I smiled. "Roza," I responded caressing her face but instead of kissing her like I was about to get up and do her eyelids slumped. What was going on? What was happening to my dear Roza?! I looked around to see that we weren't alone. Lissa, Adrian, Oksana, Eddie Castile, Guardian Hathaway and three other unfamiliar faces were there studying Rose and I.

"Don't just stand there do something!" I hissed anxiously looking down at the girl I loved. I looked up at Lissa. "Princess heal her!" I commanded. This could not be happening not after I've just gotten her back. "No Roza, stay with me." I urged her. "Please, for me."

I looked down at her unconscious face and looked up at the princess one more time. "What are you waiting for? Heal her!"

"I ca-can't Dimitri," she managed to stutter out between sobs. "I used all of my energy healing you b-but she never said that she would die."

I looked up at the others.

"Anyone? Please!" I pleaded. Guardian Hathaway looked down at my doubtfully she had never seen an emotional side to the famous Guardian Belikov but my one and only true love was dying in my arms and for me.

"How did she do it?" I asked anyone who would listen.

"It's a long story," one of the men whom I didn't recognize said. He was tall and quite skinny. He looked like he had just been very sick but was on the mend.

I gave up asking – for now – and turned to Adrian.

"Adrian, you heal her." I told him.

"I ca-can't. I'm not strong enough to heal a dead plant let alone someone dying."

I glared at him. "Try," I said dead firmly. Adrian looked down at the girl I loved and the girl that I knew he loved too and bent down placing his hand on her forehead. I placed my two fingers on her pulse. It was weak but it was there.

"Who are you anyways?" I looked up at the three unknown faces.

"I'm Abe," a large looking moroi announced. He was very tall – but not taller than me - and beefy with black hair and facial hair and I could tell that he wasn't one to mess with. "Abe Mazur." I nodded my eyes landing on the next man. This man was shorter than the other but still tall – probably around 6'3 or 6'4. This man looked younger and probably in his mid twenties. He was all firm muscle from his toes all the way up to his shoulders and I recognized him as a guardian.

"Pavel," he introduced himself and nodded. I looked over at the last man whom had spoken earlier. "I'm Robert Doru." The name immediately rang a bell in my head but I couldn't remember from where. "I am the spirit user who taught Rose to bring you back."

"You did this?" I spat. I knew that I should be thankful for someone bringing me back from a strigoi state but not if it meant my love dying. He shrugged. "It's what she wanted, I told her of the possible consequences and she said that she still wanted to do it so I had to help her." I continued to glare at him so he continued speaking. "If you were in her position what would you have wanted?"

Robert's question took me by surprise what would I have wanted? My Roza back of course.

"Your a spirit user?" I asked incredulously. "Help him." My eyes traveled to where Adrian laid healing Rose. His eyes were closed tight with concentration and I could only imagine how tired he was.

"I would but I can't. I used all of my power bringing you back."

What was going on with this man? I thought Rose brought me back? I raised one eye at him curiously. "I'll explain later but right now we need to get Rose to a hospital." I looked over at my lover's unconscious face and I couldn't agree more.


	24. Chapter 22

**Hey guys! Wow I'm so happy to see all of the reviews and I'm even happier to see that some of you did tear up! Anyways as I said earlier I am thinking about renaming the story to something more original so if you think that is a good idea let me know through a review! Suggestions would be great as well : D.**

**So now we have our favorite cowboy back but no worries there is still tons more to come ;].**

**Also if I get the time I am going to name the chapters so in a review pick your favorite chapter so far and give it a name, please and thank you.**

**One more thing guys! Would you like to see some more DPOV? I just did that last one for him waking up pretty much but if you enjoyed it let me know and I will keep it up!**

**Thanks once again guys!**

**xoxox,**

**Catherine  
**

I laid there for who knows how long just listening and thinking and oh yeah did I mention trying not to scream with agony? The darkness in my head still laid there and although the pain lessened over time the emotions grew more and more profound. I wanted to scream but my body would not allow it; I was paralyzed. I could hear everything that was going on around me although I could not say anything or move obviously. I laid there like my body was locked up and my only sense left was my hearing.

Repeatedly I heard a beeping noise which I suspected was my heart monitor – I had been in the emergency room more than my fair share of times in my short life and by now I could easily tell the difference between a heart rate and a respirator. Of course it seemed that the doctor's here thought it necessary to give me both. I wanted to rip it off and do something, anything. Go see Lissa, go shopping, hell I would have even seen Adrian but none of these things happened. Adrian didn't even visit my dreams and I couldn't get into Lissa's head. It was like I was paralyzed mentally as well as physically.

Each day passed and my headache lessened – it still felt like daggers but there was no more acid now only a sledge hammer and fire on the down side my emotions kept getting worse. I needed to fight and get this anger out of me but my body wouldn't allow it, for fuck's sake I couldn't even scream, or talk or even whisper. I was beyond paralyzed and I knew that if I was going to live the rest of my life like this I would rather be in heaven where I could look over Lissa and Adrian and Dimitri. _Dimitri._ It had worked right? He was okay now? If he wasn't I knew that I couldn't live – paralyzed or not.

I started getting my hearing back after an eternity of lying here. Footsteps echoed through my brain as they tapped quietly across the floor. I listened intently trying to pick out whom it was. There were three sets of footsteps? One was large I could tell but very quiet, one very light and small and the other was tall but light. I guessed that at least one of them was a moroi.

"No change?" I heard a deadly calm feminine voice answer. I recognized it as my mother.

"None," answered a male voice with a trace of a Russian accent. It was Dimitri. I knew that if I wasn't paralyzed I would have breathed in a big sigh of relief. He was okay, he would live and the world could continue because if my bad ass mentor – lover I corrected myself lived then the rest of the world could continue too even if it meant that Rose Hathaway had to be left behind.

I listened intently to hear that there was a quickened breathing – someone was crying. The crying person whimpered and I wanted to comfort whoever it was. No one should have to suffer like that especially over me.

"Rose? Rose I hope you're okay." The crying girl stuttered, I realized that this was Lissa. Oh Lissa, I thought. Go on with your life, be happy with Christian I will be okay.

I heard light footsteps leave and the crying as well. Then it was just Dimitri and my mother.

"Dimitri you should get some rest," my mother said calmly. "Have you even left yet?"

"Once," I heard my comrade say dully.

"I'll watch her," my mother told him. There was silence for a moment and I could only imagine the silent exchange going on between them. I came up with funny scenarios in my head and I knew that the live version was probably even more hilarious.

"Okay," my Russian god finally gave in. Then I felt the tiniest amount of pressure on my hand and Dimitri's lips at my ear. "I love you Roza, I always have and always will."

My heart fluttered like a humming bird and I heard the heart monitor soar. I breathed in Dimitri's familiar after shave oh how I loved – wait a minute I thought that my only sense was hearing? It seemed that I was going to be getting my others back as well. Suddenly all of the darkness faded, there was no more pain and only the smallest hint of anger in my thoughts but it was otherwise consumed with love and determination because I had to tell this man that I loved him. It was a necessity.

Dimitri needed to hear that I loved him and he needed to hear it now. I hadn't told him truly since when the cabin? He needed to know and his memories weren't good enough for him. Not for my Dimitri. Truly it wasn't good enough for me either. I knew that it would be okay for me if I lived the rest of my life in a coma or mad if Dimitri could live but would that be good enough for him? Would Dimitri ever be truly happy without me? I knew that it would probably be best if he moved on but I didn't want him too. My anger flared at even the thought of Dimitri and Tasha together.

Dimitri's after shave started to grow fainter and fainter as his footsteps started up. _No! Dimitri I have something to say!_ I wanted to shout at him but it was to no avail no one could hear me. Come on Rose you can do this, I encouraged myself. I mean how hard could this be? I had taken down dozens of strigoi before I was even promised, I had done the impossible returning my love to his dhampir self and rescued his soul so why couldn't I just slip out of this coma?

The only question now was how on earth I was going to do this. I knew that in the movies they just flutter their eyes open randomly but it couldn't be random, could it be? Then I remembered that my senses had started to come back to me – maybe I just had to fight harder to use these. Since my touch, hearing and smell had come back to me I tried working on my sight. Open your eyes Rose, come on just a little more. I tried to open my eyes in my paralyzed state but it was like opening your eyes while sneezing.

Open them, open them. I fought and fought and it was tiring let me tell you. It was harder than fighting in the battle with hundreds of strigoi for sure but it was not as hard as bearing the darkness. Dimitri's footsteps echoed in my thoughts getting quieter and quieter. It's your last chance Rose! I told myself. Well not really I suspect that if I woke up he would be told immediately but still I wanted him to be the face I first saw when I woke up.

Finally my eyes fluttered open and I saw the light. It was so good I drank it all in – I had forgotten what it was like. "Dimitri!" I yelled and surprised myself by not being the least bit groggy, I sounded normal. As soon as I urged that he was back in the room looking at me bewildered. "I love you." I announced.

"Oh, I love you too Roza," he smiled back and then I was in his arms clutching onto his shirt. I was sobbing at how I almost lost him, how I almost lost myself.

"I missed you," I whispered into his ear. Dimitri pulled me down and looked into my eyes. "I missed you to Roza." And then he kissed me. It was as wonderful as I remembered. Our lips met and my hands traveled into his hair bringing him closer to me. I moved in synchronization with him for a few moments and then I traced his bottom lip. Dimitri moaned and I was with him and no one else. We were together at last. It was one of those happily ever after moments.

I pulled his face away from my own to look into those gorgeous brown eyes that melted my heart. I looked over his face and memorized his chin length brown hair, his tan skin and his high cheek bones. "And the spell was broken," I told him and he chuckled. "Yes my dearest Roza, the evil spell was broken."

Dimitri leaned down to kiss me again but before our mouths met I heard the most annoying sound in the world: my mother coughing. Oh right I had forgotten that we had company and I turned a furious red.

"Oh, hi mom," I greeted her. "Did you miss me?"

I expected my mother to have her boundaries down and envelop me in a warm hug – I mean I know she was cold and everything but her supposedly dead daughter just said hi to her. Instead she growled at me.

"Rosemarie Hathaway don't you _ever _do that to me again," she said looking into my eyes anger covered all of her features but then she crossed the room and sat on my hospital bed. My mother wrapped her arms around me and tightened her grip.

"Mom," I choked. Her grip was a bit too tight; I didn't know if that had to do with my weakened coma state or maybe she was just that strong after all. "Oh sorry," she said looking up at me her guardian calm taking over once again. "Should I tell the others?"

I nodded. "I think that would be best after all Lissa sounded pretty bet up when she came in here a few minutes ago..." I let my sentence trail off.

Both Dimitri and my mother turned to look at me both wearing dumbfounded expressions.

"You heard everything?"

"No, I'm just guessing," I said sarcastically. "Of course I could hear everything how do you think I knew that Dimitri left?"

"I guess we hadn't thought of that," Dimitri admitted.

"I've been hearing you guys for like ever," I told them and paused. "How long was I out for anyways?"

Wary glances passed between my mother and Dimitri. Finally my mother answered and I looked over to Dimitri seeing extreme hurt pass his features.

"Rose you were out for three months."

Whoa what? _Three months. Three months. Three months, _chimed repeatedly in my head like a bell. How could I have been out for so long? I been I know it seemed like eternity to me but I thought that I was just exaggerating.

"Th-three months?" I stuttered unbelieving. "But that means that the university term started!" I exclaimed. "They can't have nobody guarding Lissa I mean they should have done everything to wake me up!"

"They couldn't do that Rose and even if they could they wouldn't," Dimitri said calmly.

"What why not? You mean they would have just let me pass my entire life like this?" I said rhetorically but it seemed that I was getting an answer anyways because Dimitri nodded.

"But that's insane! Lissa should be protected at all times!"

"Rose they couldn't wake you up and besides Lissa has new guardians."

I looked over at my soul mate. He did _not _just say what I thought he said. Lissa has new guardians. Lissa has new guardians.

"No we are meant to be together! I have to be with her! They can't get someone else as a replacement!"

"Shh Roza, I'm sure that you can take up position as guardian once you fully heal."

"I _am _healed!" I insisted. "I still don't see why they never woke me up in the first place though," I grumbled stubbornly.

"As I already pointed out Rose that they couldn't do that and they wouldn't anyways; it could have made you unstable."

I grumbled a few profanities but let it go.

I looked up at my favorite person in the world and changed the subject.

"So what else have I missed?" I smiled lightly.

"Well first of all Lissa is now queen."

I looked up at him, was he serious?

"Well not queen _yet _but will be soon enough. Her crowning is in four years."

"Dimitri I don't know if you've noticed but four years is a long time to the average person," I joked. Then under my breath I added that he was never normal anyways.

"She has special permissions now but she wanted to finished university first."

I nodded, I knew that university was at the top of Lissa's to do list.

"So anything else?" I asked.

Dimitri paused for a moment thinking about what happened over the past few minutes but finally came to an answer after a minute or two. "Not anything that I can think of."

"Okay," I smiled. "So everything is right in the world?"

"Yes Roza everything is perfect," he leaned down to kiss me taking advantage of the fast that my mother was gone to get Lissa and my other loved ones but we were interrupted by a wise voice before anything happened. I turned to the door to see Robert Doru standing there. My savior.

"Oh my god! Do you know how much I could kiss you right now Robert?" I winked at Dimitri to show that I was only kidding. After all Robert was like fifty or something – ew but Dimitri could be pretty possessive.

"I have something to add to what happened while you were out, Dimitri of course you wouldn't know about it yet."

I looked over at the frail man to see that he was no longer that frail. He had obviously become healthier ever since we had rescued him from his half-brother Victor. He was no longer all skin and bones and I could see that he had a glow in his cheeks and he looked happy.

"Something that involves both of you and the affects of bringing Dimitri back," Robert looked over at us seriously and then his eyes lightened and looked kind.

"It was my pleasure Rose," he said kindly taking in mine and Dimitri's embrace. "My pleasure."

This man was seriously starting to get on my nerves.


	25. Chapter 23

**Hey guys I am so sorry for not updating in a few days! Anyways I wrote this extra long chapter for you guys but then ff wouldn't let me post a new chapter so I had to do something else instead after pondering for hours! Is anyone else having the same problem? Hopefully ff gets it fixed soon!**

**Anyways I hope you guys like it and don't worry there is stills tons more to come!**

**P.S. I am writing an original story now as well so I will be a bit busier.**

**P.P.S. Does anyone know a website like ff but for original stories? If so that would be great!  
**

I looked at the old man's face carefully. I was looking for any sign of agony but instead all it held was, delight? I couldn't understand this man. He said that he had something to tell us about Dimitri turning back so that couldn't be good, could it?

"Well a very long time ago there was-"

"Please Robert just cut the crap and tell us whatever you need to tell us," I persuaded him. Although apparently this story was close to Robert's heart because he did not do as I asked and instead continued.

"Anyways a long time ago there were four different couples and one of each of the partners was shadow kissed, the other was turned into a strigoi." I looked at him bizarrely. Seriously what was his point? I mean I know that he is all wise and might and shit but what's the point of telling us old story tales?

"Each one found out how to reverse the transformation and did so with their love for each other keeping it going. This has happened before mind you – I mean reversing the strigoi but the other partner never survived or was never the same." Robert breathed in a deep breath. "Now there are five couples."

"But I don't understand what your point is? I mean this stuff is interesting I guess but like what do those couples have to do with us?" I snapped at him.

"That Rose not only has to do with you but all of the rest of the dhampirs in the world." I looked at him curiously, was this guy serious? Me bringing Dimitri back would have an impact on the dhampir world? Okay then someone needs to go to the mental rehabilitation center...

I looked over at Dimitri to see if he understood this any more than I was but he seemed just as much at loss for words as I was – or more.

"Okay so four couples, were the fifth and it will influence the dhampir world. Am I missing something here?"

"Yes Rose you are missing something so just keep your sassy little mouth shut for once and let me explain!" Robert snapped. He didn't even know me I mean yeah sure it was true that I spoke often but that didn't mean that he should just assume things; no matter who he heard it from.

"Each of the three couples lived a long time ago, thousands of years before in fact but there has never been a dhampir-dhampir couple who brought the other back and survived. There was a human and a moroi, a moroi and a moroi and a dhampir and moroi and human and human but never a dhampir and a dhampir – until now."

I looked at him still puzzled, what was he leading up to? Dimitri looked down at me understanding shining in his eyes.

"Roza, the love they shared allowed them to start a family."

How the hell did he figure that out? I mean I knew that Dimitri is all bad-ass but I never knew that he was smart and even if he was smart he wasn't the first person to believe fairy tales; let alone make them up but had my assumptions been wrong?

I looked over at Robert for confirmation and that was when I saw him nod. So that meant that Dimitri and I could start a family, we could start a family. A picture formed in my head of a little boy running across the yard with Dimitri's brown hair and sweet brown eyes. I saw a little girl running with him except this girl was a little replicate of me. But what about my guardian duties? I couldn't have a family even if I wanted to the moroi had to be protected, that was the rule we all knew but did it apply anymore? I mean could it be that the rest of the dhampirs would no longer protect them – since they could now continue on the race themselves? No moroi must be protected. Even if we no longer relied on them that didn't mean anything the strigoi were still evil soul less creatures out there and the moroi were still innocent – especially Lissa but would the other dhampirs think that way? Or would they just give up?

I glanced over at Dimitri to see that he looked delighted – I always knew that he wanted a family but obviously he was not seeing my dilemma here because this was a problem – a huge problem. I mean how on earth are we supposed to explain to all of the dhampirs and guardians what is going on? I was sure that a bunch of teenage girls were about to get pregnant as well...

Wait a minute, I brought Dimitri back three months ago so shouldn't this all ready be happening? I looked around but no one looked out of the norm. What on earth?

"But Robert I brought Dimitri back three months ago; if this is all true then this would have started three months ago."

"No Rose you just came back today. Before that you had a problem like the rest but now you are here again, that means one thing."

Oh god, well at least it made sense, a bit.

"How do you know all of this?" I asked Robert narrowing my eyes. "I mean I don't doubt a thing you have said but where did you learn it in the first place?"

"My great great great grandmother was a spirit user and her little brother and she were bonded. Her little brother fell in love and the girl turned strigoi – he brought her back."

"So the girl was moroi?"

"No dhampir – he was a moroi."

"Oh," I said dumbfounded. "You lived with your grandmother right?"

"Yes my mother died early off and then my grandmother took me in. Once she realized I was spirit she knew she remembered the stories her own mother had told her and she told me everything."

I nodded. Okay great now all I had to do was explain what was going on to the entire dhampir population.

"Dimitri, we need to go and visit Lissa."

Dimitri raised an eyebrow at me.

"She is probably still at school Rose and-"

"Dimitri," I glared. "Take me to her."

Dimitri sighed and whipped a cell phone out of his pocket and murmured quickly in a too low voice for me to comprehend.

"Okay," Dimitri sighed. "Let's go," he said taking my hand."

"Bye Robert!" I shouted over my shoulder. "And thanks for everything!"

"No problem Rose you know that if you ever need anything I'm here."

Dimitri yanked me forward with force and I fell over my own feet.

"What's the problem Comrade?" I whispered seeing his sudden change in emotions.

"No problem," he said stiffly. "We just have to hurry."

"I thought you were happy ...?"

"I am happy Roza, very happy it's just that I see that you have something on my mind."

His brown eyes looked down at me and captured me right there. I so badly wanted to kiss him but he snapped his head away bringing me closer to a building.

"Mind telling me why?"

"In a bit," I muttered. "I have to speak to Lissa now."

We passed Rhonda's building and a flood of memories came back to me.

_Rhonda shuffled the cards quickly and told me to cut. She then place three cards face up before me._

_The first card had a pot of gold and a rainbow on it._

_"I will come into riches?" I guessed._

_"Possibly," Rhonda answered. "Although the more accurate prediction would be that you will find what you are looking for." I nodded that couldn't be so bad could it? I moved onto the next card to see a moon and a sun covering one another; an eclipse._

_"This is a tricky one," Rhonda sighed and closed her eyes. "You will face your opposite and he or she will become your equal." That one could be a long list of things and I didn't like the possibilities that I was thinking of. My opposite and then my equal. I could think of a few things that were my opposite – and one way to make them my equal or I theirs. My eyes traveled to the final card. It had a compass on it that was pointing north._

_"You are on the right track," Rhonda breathed. "Don't give up yet."_

What did that mean? Dimitri had been undead – my equal, but then he didn't have his soul like I did so when he was strigoi ruled it out – along with the fact that we had been different species. Now he was a dhampir again, check, he had his soul, check, but was he shadow kissed?

I looked over at him and saw that he looked the same as normal. He couldn't be shadow kissed could he? I mean he has never been dead but his soul was separated from him and joined again – much like mine. Did that mean that he was shadow kissed? But if he was shadow kissed who was his bond mate? Me, Lissa, Oksana, Adrian, Robert? Was he even shadow kissed? I would have to ask Robert later because Dimitri was already knocking on Lissa's door.

I had never been to Lissa's apartment before since I had been in a coma but I figured it was quite spectacular – her being the queen's heir and all. After a few knocks Christian opened the door. I saw past him to see that the house was very, very nice and elegant. It had huge vaulted ceilings with a huge entry way. The doors were stained glass and there were poles in their as well. To the left there was a white grand twirling staircase which went upstairs. I looked up to see that upstairs there was like a hallway around so that you could see down through and that there was an open spaced foyer up there as well as many bedrooms I guessed.

"Hey Sparky," I smiled at him. "Where's Liss?"

"It's nice to see you again too Rose," he smirked sarcastically and ruffled my hair. Then he bent down and whispered to me.

"I actually really missed you."

I looked up to see that his blue eyes were glistening? Seriously Christian was getting emotional, was the world coming to an end? It had to be, I joked to myself and laughed a loud.

"Rose!" Lissa said squealing coming down the elegant staircase and ran towards me. She hugged me and the force of the hug almost knocked me down. I seriously was going to need to start training again. "I was just about to head over!"

"You were just over silly, I heard you."

"You heard me?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "I was pretty awake then and a few minutes after..."

"Oh my god! If I had just stayed a few minutes later instead of going to school I could have seen you!"

"It's okay Liss, your here now."

Lissa started sobbing and I held my arms around her and rubbed her back soothingly. I realized that the four of us were not alone now and I saw three guardians approaching me warily seeing Lissa's sad expression. They were coming at me warily as if they thought I was a threat, could these people really be serious? I groaned.

"So it seems that I will be replacing one of them soon," I stepped away from Lissa and saw the three of them. I tried to keep my head high but in truth I felt betrayed. I knew that it was inappropriate for Lissa to have no guardians but still how could they replace me? I breathed in a big sigh trying to stop myself from shaking.

Lissa looked at me and started uttering apologies. "Oh god I'm sorry Rose, I'm so so sorry I didn't want to have them replace you but you know," she shrugged. "They insisted and besides you will be right back soon enough and..."

"It's okay Lissa, really. I don't care." Although obviously I did.

"Anyways I actually have something to tell you," I announced and pondered in my head how to say what needed to be said. There was a lot necessary actually – the dhampirs, Dimitri being my equal and I was sure a lot more once all of my memory finally came back to me.

"Liss," I started and brought her over to her luxurious couch and made sure that neither Dimitri, Christian or any of the guardians followed. "I need to talk to you."

I took a big gulp of air and decided to ask what was eating me up inside first.

"What is Dimitri's aura like Liss?"

Lissa raised her eyebrows obviously startled by my question but she looked over at Dimitri with that look I had become familiar with between Adrian and her. Then Lissa looked over at me but she still looked as if she was reading an aura.

"It's actually really strange Rose," she admitted.

"It's like your auras are connected."

I looked at her confused. Well this wasn't what I was expecting at all. Me and Dimitri, connected? But Lissa and I never ever had a connection like that and it wasn't like Dimitri or I could sense each other's thoughts or feelings.

"Am I still dark?" I asked warily.

"Yeah Rose but darker," Lissa said. "You are and so is Dimitri but you also have a gold surrounding you both. It is so strange. It is like you are both gold like a spirit user but brighter and you are surrounded by blackness like you were before but darker. It's so weird."

Brighter than a spirit user? I couldn't think of anything brighter than a spirit user, but maybe just maybe a spirit was? At least a good spirit. I mean if a strigoi was darker than me that must mean that a bad soul would be extremely black, right? So maybe, well actually I had not a clue what was going on. Dimitri and I weren't spirits we were both alive and well even if we both had spirits another part of them was in the other world which made me encased in darkness and allowed me a bond with the undead and dead. Maybe Dimitri was the same? But if he was how on earth was the gold there? Man I seriously needed to talk to Robert.

"Okay," I breathed in. "What else?"

"Well, you both like share emotions. I can see that you are confused but so is Dimitri or at least his aura is and he is happy right now but you don't seem affected by that just your aura. It is so weird. Sort of like the opposite of our bond." Lissa admitted. I looked at her curiously? How would she know about how our bond looked like from an outsider's perspective?

"Adrian," she said answering my unvoiced question. Maybe she knew me better than I thought – or I had all my barriers down.

"Our bond is like you can feel my emotions and I can feel yours but it doesn't affect our auras," she explained. Huh, that was weird. "And you guys are connected unlike you and me but we can hear each other's thoughts and you can't. Right?" she added on as an after thought.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "I'll have to talk to Robert about it."

Lissa nodded. "I think that would be a good idea."

"Actually Lissa Robert is the reason I came here today."

"How so?"

"Well he told me something about me and Dimitri that I think could have an impact on the rest of the dhampir-moroi world and I well think that we need to do something. Dimitri and I," I told her. I saw Lissa's face fall but this wasn't dangerous was it? Not really just hard but it wasn't dangerous.

"And you and Christian can come if you want to," I promised. Lissa smiled a breathtaking smile and looked at me. "Thanks Rose."

"No problem," I told her and then I recounted everything about the old story and now how dhampir and dhampir's could reproduce.

"But I don't understand what you have to do, you and Dimitri I mean."

"I need to go to all of the dhampir spots, all of the schools and explain what is happening," I told her.

"But why? I mean I could just announce it or something."

"No Liss it needs to be me and Dimitri because we are both dhampirs. If not they might feel like they are being guardians against their will now," I shrugged.

"But you might be able to help," I told her.

"Okay," Lissa nodded. "Let's do this."


	26. Author's note 3: Explanation

**Hey guys! Sorry that I haven't update lately, really! Anyways as you see Rose is about to go on an adventure to the other schools with Dimitri and Lissa but I am thinking that maybe I will clue this up within the next one or two chapters and then I will write a sequel containing that in a bit, maybe. Anyways the reason for the delay is because I am writing a new story called "Smelling the Roses". This story is an original on fictionpress (dot) com in the fiction, fantasy section. So once I am finished this book (or story) check that one out because in my opinion it is a lot better than this fanfiction. Again, sorry for the delay! I will hopefully have the next chapter up by later tonight or tomorrow. Tomorrow is calling for snow so hopefully I can get it finished then.**

**Thanks for your patience guys and thanks for the reviews – 100 wow! I never expected this story to be such a success. Let me know your thoughts on the subject : ).**

**-Catherine**


	27. Chapter 24

**So this is the final chapter! Woot! Before the sequel that is. I am going to finish my original story first which is on fictionpress before I start that but then I hope you like it. So this last chapter is sort of suckish, sorry guys! But it explains a lot, I think. If you are still confused about anything leave me a review and maybe I can answer your question.**

**Love, Catherine  
**

I knocked quickly on the door of Robert's apartment. Lissa had told me where to go but I was here alone. I needed to find out what was happening between Dimitri and I. Soon. Lissa had told me that our auras were entwined but what did she mean by that? Was it even possible? I sighed impatiently as I waited for the man to open the door.

Finally after an eternity that seemed like forever – although was probably only a couple of minutes – Robert opened the door. He looked much the same as when I had seen him earlier but really what had I expected?

"Ah, Rose. I expected that you would be here soon."

I nodded.

"It's about my aura," I admitted. "And Dimitri's."

"Yes, I was going to tell you but I thought I would tell you later."

"But why?"

Robert shrugged.

"There isn't an explanation for everything in this world."

I shrugged thinking it was probably just a temporary effect of spirit.

"Anyways what's going on?"

"Your souls are merged together," Robert explained. "When you sucked the darkness out you twisted yours and Dimitri's souls together allowing both your spirits to be entwined."

"So if I die, he dies?" I guessed.

"Yes and no. If one of you dies the other one will have no soul – it will go up to heaven with you but the body will still live."

"So he will become a strigoi?" I gasped frightened.

"No, no. It will just be a body walking the earth. Someone will have to kill it then."

I nodded, this wasn't too bad.

"So our spirits are one?"

"Yes which is why your aura is so gold. It is such a big spirit that it makes it gold – the same reason why you now have so many shadows is because both of your own shadows merge."

"So he is shadow kissed now too?"

"In a way but he has no bond mate, well he does actually – you."

"But a person can't have another bond mate without going crazy-"

"Calm down Rose, breathe. It's a different type of bond. It's a spirit bond you are spirit bound."

"But me and Lissa are bound too."

"That's a different type of bond."

I sighed.

"So this is no big deal?"

"No, not really as long as you both stay alive."

"Okay," I breathed. "Thanks Robert."

"Anytime Rose. Just let me know if I can do anything else for you."

I nodded and started to head towards the door. Everything would be okay – as long as Dimitri and I managed to find all the dhampirs' and announce what was happening but we couldn't do that – it might involve in violence. I breathed in a deep breath. My soul mate was saved. I was saved. Now all I had to do was save the rest of the vampire/dhampir population to be at war. This should be easy.

I was about to head home but then I realized where was home? At court I was supposed to be Lissa's guardian but since she had three other guardians I really doubted that she needed me but then again where else was I supposed to go? I turned around and headed for the big building.

I knocked on the door impatiently. I was tired and wanted to sleep. Oh god how much money I would give to just sleep right then and there. Lissa didn't answer immediately so I rapped consistently until finally someone opened the door. The person behind the door was Lissa as expected.

"God Rose! You scared me."

I shrugged. "Uh, Liss?"

"Yeah?"

"Where the hell am I supposed to stay?"

Lissa laughed brilliantly and her jade eyes sparkled. She looked happy. My best friend and charge was happy and that was enough. It just seemed that I was happy as well, what a bonus.

"Come on in Rose, I'm sure you can stay here as a friend until we can make more arrangements for you to be my guardian again."

I smiled.

"Thanks Liss," I told her as I walked into her palace.

"No problem."

I looked around and saw that Christian was nowhere in sight. Then I carefully looked over Lissa who now I realized was only in a robe and her hair was a mess.

"I wasn't interrupting anything was I?" I grinned mischievously.

Lissa blushed furiously which only proved my theory correct; her and Christian had been getting it on hot and heavy only moments earlier. I pushed the disgusting mental image out of my head.

"Don't worry about it Liss. Just tell me where Dimitri is staying."

Lissa smiled.

"Hold on I'll get the phone for you so you can call him."

Lissa walked off into the kitchen and I watched her disappear and reappear within seconds with the phone already dialled.

"Thanks," I mouthed as I pressed the telephone against my ear.

The phone rang twice and then Dimitri picked up.

"Princess is there anything wrong?" His voice was anxious.

"Actually it's Rose. I was wondering if I could stay with you tonight."

"Absolutely Rose. I will come and pick you up now in a few minutes."

"Pick me up?"

"Well I wouldn't want you wandering around alone at night." I could hear Dimitri grinning from the other end.

"Oh shut up Dimitri just give me directions," I pleaded.

"Too late I'm on my way now."

I groaned.

"Okay I'll see you soon."

"Bye."

**

Soon I was covered in Dimitri's kisses. I was in Dimitri's room on his bed. "I love you," I moaned as he hovered on top of me. He brought his lips down to mine and murmured against my lips. "I love you too."

I smiled and grabbed my hands in his hair. After a few minutes I brought myself on top of Dimitri so that now I was the one in control.

"Dimitri," I said seriously.

"Yes?"

"I have to tell you something."

"We are spirit bound."

"Hmm?" Dimitri was still not paying that much attention and was making his way up from my neck to my lips. It was entirely distracting.

"Dimitri, stop for a second."

"Yes Roza?"

"Well the thing is that if I die your soul will come with me so someone else will have to kill your body."

He raised one eyebrow at me. "How do you know this?"

"I might have spoke to Robert," I admitted.

"So it's no big deal right?"

I shrugged. "Not really I just thought you might've wanted to know but there's something else I need to speak with you about to."

"Yes?"

"I don't want children Dimitri."

Dimitri's face fell just a little but he quickly masked it like a guardian. "Oh?"

"It's not that I don't want them, just not yet. I mean I'm only eighteen and I want to be able to care for them yet I want to be able to be Lissa's guardian full time too."

"Don't worry about it Rose, we can figure something out."

"I sure hope so," i mumbled.

"Rose I'm glad you brought this subject up actually."

I looked at him confused, what did I bring up? Dimitri rushed into his closet and within a few seconds returned. With a ring.

"Rose, I promise to love you forever. Will you be my wife?"

It was hard for me to understand what was happening. Would I be Dimitri's wife? Well my first thought was yes of course yes but now what about those other dhampirs running away, what about Lissa? I couldn't abandon her.

"What about what people will say and Lissa and..." My voice trailed off.

"We can find a way for it to all work out Rose, I promise. Plus do you really care about what other people say?" Dimitri smiled his brown eyes sparkling.

"Yes, Dimitri. Of course I will." I said at last. Dimitri placed the ring on my finger. It was gorgeous, truly. It had a gold band with a large diamond that sparkled on top. Simple, yet extraordinary. I flung myself onto Dimitri's lap and kissed him passionately. Our lips moved in synchronization and once again my hands were buried in his long brown locks while his were in mine. How we ended up on the bed from the floor I don't really know but soon our clothes were shredded.

"There's just one more thing I have to talk to you about?"

"Yes Roza?"

"I have our next move already planned." I was now thinking about going away to all of the dhampir cities, schools and charge places. It was going to be a lot of work, that I was positive of but at least now I had Dimitri and Lissa at my side.


	28. AN: SEQUEL UP!

**After a long a-waited, well, wait I've finally posted the first chapter of the sequel called Paper and Rose Thorns. Check it out on my profile! Sorry for the wait guys, and I hope you enjoy!**


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